In vitro anti-leishmanial effect of metallic meso-substituted porphyrin derivatives against leishmania braziliensis and leishmania panamensis promastigotes properties

Abstract

In this study, a family of porphyrins based on 5,10,15,20-Tetrakis(4-ethylphenyl)porphyrin (1, Ph) and six metallo-derivatives (Zn2+(2, Ph-Zn), Sn4+(3, Ph-Sn), Mn2+ (4, Ph-Mn), Ni2+ (5, Ph-Ni), Al3+ (6, Ph-Al), and V3+ (7, Ph-V)) were tested as photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy against Leishmania braziliensis and panamensis. The singlet oxygen quantum yield value (Φ∆) for (1–7) was measured using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) as a singlet oxygen trapping agent and 5,10,15,20-(tetraphenyl)-porphyrin (H2TPP) as a reference standard; besides, parasite viability was estimated by the MTT assay. After metal insertion into the porphyrin core, the Φ∆ increased from 0.76–0.90 and cell viability changed considerably. The Φ∆ and metal type changed the cytotoxic activity. Finally, (2) showed both the highest Φ∆ (0.90) and the best photodynamic activity against the parasites studied (IC50 of 1.2 µM).