Chemical Characterization and Leishmanicidal Activity In Vitro and In Silico of Natural Products Obtained from Leaves of Vernonanthura brasiliana (L.) H. Rob (Asteraceae)
Yuri Nascimento Fróes, João Guilherme Nantes Araújo, Joyce Resende dos Santos Gonçalves, Milena de Jesus Marinho Garcia de Oliveira, Gustavo Oliveira Everton, Victor Elias Mouchrek Filho, Maria Raimunda Chagas Silva, Luís Douglas Miranda Silva, Lucilene Amorim Silva, Lídio Gonçãlves Lima Neto, Renata Mondêgo de Oliveira, Mylena Andréa Oliveira Torres, Luís Cláudio Nascimento da Silva, Alberto Jorge Oliveira Lopes, Amanda Silva dos Santos Aliança, Claúdia Quintino da Rocha, Joicy Cortez de Sá Sousa
Abstract
Vernonanthura brasiliana (L.) H. Rob is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of several infections. This study aimed to evaluate the antileishmanial activity of V. brasiliana leaves using in vitro and in silico approaches. The chemical composition of V. brasiliana leaf extract was determined through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The inhibitory activity against Leishmania amazonensis promastigote was evaluated by the MTT method. In silico analysis was performed using Lanosterol 14alpha-demethylase (CYP51) as the target. The toxicity analysis was performed in RAW 264.7 cells and Tenebrio molitor larvae. LC-MS revealed the presence of 14 compounds in V. brasiliana crude extract, including flavonoids, flavones, sesquiterpene lactones, and quinic acids. Eriodictol (ΔGbind = −9.0), luteolin (ΔGbind = −8.7), and apigenin (ΔGbind = −8.6) obtained greater strength of molecular interaction with lanosterol demethylase in the molecular docking study. The hexane fraction of V. brasiliana showed the best leishmanicidal activity against L. amazonensis in vitro (IC50 12.44 ± 0.875 µg·mL−1) and low cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 cells (CC50 314.89 µg·mL−1, SI = 25.30) and T. molitor larvae. However, the hexane fraction and Amphotericin-B had antagonistic interaction (FICI index ≥ 4.0). This study revealed that V. brasiliana and its metabolites are potential sources of lead compounds for drugs for leishmaniasis treatment.