Antileishmanial activity of synthetic analogs of the naturally occurring quinolone alkaloid N-methyl-8-methoxyflindersin

PLoS One. 2020 Dec 28;15(12):e0243392. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243392. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a neglected, parasitic tropical disease caused by an intracellular protozoan from the genus Leishmania. Quinoline alkaloids, secondary metabolites found in plants from the Rutaceae family, have antiparasitic activity against Leishmania sp. N-methyl-8-methoxyflindersin (1), isolated from the leaves of Raputia heptaphylla and also known as 7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H,5H,6H-pyran[3,2-c]quinolin-5-one, shows antiparasitic activity against Leishmania promastigotes and amastigotes. This study used in silico tools to identify synthetic quinoline alkaloids having structure similar to that of compound 1 and then tested these quinoline alkaloids for their in vitro antiparasitic activity against Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis, in vivo therapeutic response in hamsters suffering from experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), and ex vivo immunomodulatory potential in healthy donors' human peripheral blood (monocyte)-derived macrophages (hMDMs). Compounds 1 (natural), 2 (synthetic), and 8 (synthetic) were effective against intracellular promastigotes (9.9, 3.4, and 1.6 μg/mL medial effective concentration [EC50], respectively) and amastigotes (5.07, 7.94, and 1.91 μg/mL EC50, respectively). Compound 1 increased nitric oxide production in infected hMDMs and triggered necrosis-related ultrastructural alterations in intracellular amastigotes, while compound 2 stimulated oxidative breakdown in hMDMs and caused ultrastructural alterations in the parasite 4 h posttreatment, and compound 8 failed to induce macrophage modulation but selectively induced apoptosis of infected hMDMs and alterations in the intracellular parasite ultrastructure. In addition, synthetic compounds 2 and 8 improved the health of hamsters suffering from experimental CL, without evidence of treatment-associated adverse toxic effects. Therefore, synthetic compounds 2 and 8 are potential therapeutic candidates for topical treatment of CL.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkaloids / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / chemistry
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cricetinae
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / chemistry
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Leishmania guyanensis / drug effects*
  • Leishmania guyanensis / pathogenicity
  • Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / drug therapy*
  • Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / parasitology
  • Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / pathology
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / parasitology
  • Mice
  • Nitric Oxide / genetics
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Quinolines / chemistry
  • Quinolones / pharmacology
  • Rutaceae / chemistry

Substances

  • Alkaloids
  • Antiprotozoal Agents
  • Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring
  • Quinolines
  • Quinolones
  • Nitric Oxide
  • flindersine
  • quinoline

Grants and funding

This study was financed by Colombian Ministry of Science Technology and Innovation, E.T: Colciencias-Colfuturo grant 727-2015 for national PhD students and Colombian Ministry of Science and Technology (MinCiencias) grant 777-2017 (project 110177758192). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.