Abstract
The kinetoplastids are protozoa characterized by the presence of a distinctive organelle, called the kinetoplast, which contains a large amount of DNA (kinetoplast DNA (kDNA)) inside their single mitochondrion. Kinetoplastids of medical and veterinary importance include Trypanosoma spp. (the causative agents of human and animal African Trypanosomiasis and of Chagas disease) and Leishmania spp. (the causative agents of the various forms of leishmaniasis). These neglected diseases affect millions of people across the globe, but drug treatment is hampered by the challenges of toxicity and drug resistance, among others. Propolis (a natural product made by bees) and compounds isolated from it are now being investigated as novel treatments of kinetoplastid infections. The anti-kinetoplastid efficacy of propolis is probably a consequence of its reported activity against kinetoplastid parasites of bees. This article presents a review of the reported anti-kinetoplastid potential of propolis, highlighting its anti-kinetoplastid activity in vitro and in vivo regardless of geographical origin. The mode of action of propolis depends on the organism it is acting on and includes growth inhibition, immunomodulation, macrophage activation, perturbation of the cell membrane architecture, phospholipid disturbances, and mitochondrial targets. This gives ample scope for further investigations toward the rational development of sustainable anti-kinetoplastid drugs.
Highlights
Kinetoplastids are a diverse group of flagellated protozoa, whose common feature is the presence of a structure of mitochondrial DNA located at the base of the flagellum, called the kinetoplast
Different types of propolis collected from diverse geographical locations all over the world have been attributed distinct pharmacological activities with promising results against various parasites belonging to the order kinetoplastida: Trypanosoma spp., Leishmania spp., and Crithidia fasciculata, a kinetoplastid model organism that is a close relative of C. mellificae [102]
A very recent study showed that propolis was as active as one of the available standard drugs when tested against cutaneous leishmaniasis in an in vivo model of L. major infection
Summary
Kinetoplastids are a diverse group of flagellated protozoa, whose common feature is the presence of a structure of mitochondrial DNA located at the base of the flagellum, called the kinetoplast. T. cruzi, and several forms of leishmaniasis (cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral) caused by an estimated 20 different Leishmania species They are designated neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by Molecules 2020, 25, 5155; doi:10.3390/molecules25215155 www.mdpi.com/journal/molecules. The extensive and continuous use of natural products in folk medicine is evidence that they contain bioactive molecules that can be developed into drugs They provide a rich source of molecules with structural and chemical diversity that can serve as drugs or scaffolds for the development of new drugs [10,11]; as a result, there is a rapidly growing interest in natural product-based drug approaches [12]. This review contributes to this growing body of knowledge by bringing together the chemistry of propolis and its pharmacological activities, including its mode of action against the kinetoplastids
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
