Promising Potential of Lonchocarpus utilis against South American Myasis

Plants (Basel). 2019 Dec 25;9(1):33. doi: 10.3390/plants9010033.

Abstract

Traditional medicine is especially important in the treatment of neglected tropical diseases because it is the way the majority of populations of affected countries manage primary healthcare. We present a case study that can serve as an example that can be replicated by others in the same situation. It is about the validation of a local remedy for myasis in Amazonian Ecuador, which is contrasted by bibliographic chemical reviews and in silico activity tests. We look for scientific arguments to demonstrate the reason for using extracts of Lonchocarpus utilis against south American myasis (tupe). We provide a summary of the isoflavonoids, prenylated flavonoids, chalcones, and stilbenes that justify the action. We make modeling predictions on the affinity of eight chemical components and enzyme targets using Swiss Target Prediction software. We conclude that the effects of this extract can be reasonably attributed to an effect of the parasite that causes the disease, similar to the one produced by synthetic drugs used by conventional medicine (e.g., Ivermectine).

Keywords: Lonchocarpus utilis; barbasco; bioinformatic; drug discovery; in silico; rotenoid.