Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of pathologies caused by infectious agents or parasites, including the protozoa Leishmania sp. and Trypanosoma cruzi, which cause leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, respectively. The complications of the treatment regimen indicate the urgent need to search for new strategies and therapeutic agents. Among these is the essential oil of Psidium myrsinites DC. The essential oil of the leaves (PMEO) was evaluated in vitro, and cytotoxic activity was analysed against promastigotes of Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania infantum and epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, as well as mammalian cells. The results showed that the PMEO had relevant activity against L. braziliensis, low cytotoxicity and a high selectivity index SI = 6.6. These results suggest that PMEO has antiparasitic potential against L. braziliensis, making this species is a possible alternative therapeutic source, given its effectiveness in the in vitro tests performed, opening the possibility of new biological studies in vivo.
Keywords: Leishmaniasis; Myrtaceae; Natural products; Psidium myrsinites DC.; essential oil.