Qualitative analysis of an ethanolic extract from Trametes versicolor and biological screening against Leishmania amazonensis

Abstract

This study was carried out with basidiomycete mushroom Trametes versicolor. The fruiting body of the mentioned mushroom was extracted with alcohol and submitted to a qualitative phytochemical screening for secondary metabolites identifi cation. This experiment afforded the presence of secondary metabolites kind of triterpenes, steroids, fl avonoids, alkaloids, and in a small amount cardenolides. Quinones were not found within tested metabolites. In addition, extracts of this mushroom fresh fruiting body of different polarity (ranging from n-hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate until ethanol) were evaluated against promastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis, a widespread tropical and subtropical disease produced by around 20 species of protozoa from Leishmania genus. The ethyl acetate and the ethanol extract exhibited anti-leishmanial activity, with IC50 values of 101.8 ± 4.2 μg/mL and 97.4 ± 2.0 μg/mL, respectively. The cytotoxicity against peritoneal macrophage from BALB/c mice from those extracts was reported.