Abstract
Nifurtimox is a drug used against Chagas' disease. Its biotransformation in intact epimastigotes, microsomal membranes and cytosolic fractions of Trypanosoma cruzi Tulahuén strain was examined. Nifurtimox reduction by intact cells occurred at a rate of 23.19 nmol mg protein −1 h −1. The nitroreductase activity was found to be distributed among the microsomal and cytosolic fractions, being mostly NADPH dependent. Also, in the present paper intact cells and membrane-enriched fraction of T. cruzi were used to prove radical species formation. Results from these experiments show that the increase of the NADPH-oxygen consumption induced by the drug, was not dependent on the respiratory chain of the parasite. On the other hand, the nifurtimox-induced H 2O 2 production was significant, providing an indirect proof of the nitro anion formation.
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