In vitro antiparasitic activity of plant extracts from panama

Abstract

As a contribution to the search of antiparasitic activity in plants from Panama, a total of 37 extracts obtained from 14 species were assessed against Trypanosoma cruzi (Trypanosomatidae), Trichomonas vaginalis (Trichomonadidae), and Heligmosomoides polygyrus (Heligmosomidae). Also, the cytotoxicity to macrophages was determined, in order to discard, among the active extracts, those cytotoxic to mammalian cells. Tripanocidal activity and cytotoxicity to macrophages were performed by a colorimetric method using the tetrazolium salt MTT, assays on T. vaginalis by counting viable protozoa, and the anthelmintic activity was determined by enzymatic assays of acetylcholinesterase and acid phosphatase activities. Extracts from Bixa orellana L. (Bixaceae) and Clusia rosea Jacy. (Clusiaceae) were the most interesting both as antiprotozoan and nematocides.