ESTUDO DO POTENCIAL LEISHMANICIDA DO EXTRATO DAS FOLHAS DE Lafoensia pacari A.St.-Hil

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease of major public health importance, especially in endemic regions such as Maranhäo, Brazil. Conventional therapies face serious limitations, including high toxicity, elevated costs, and parasite resistance, highlighting the need for safer and more effective therapeutic alternatives. In this context, Lafoensia pacari A. St.-Hil., a Cerrado native species widely used in traditional medicine, has attracted scientific interest due to its bioactive compounds and potential pharmacological applications.This work was structured in two chapters. The first presents an integrative review of the pharmacological activities reported for L. pacari in studies published between 2000 and 2024. A total of 138 studies were identified, of which 55 met the inclusion criteria. The results revealed a broad spectrum of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimicrobial, wound-healing, antitumor, and antiparasitic effects, mainly attributed to the presence of ellagitannins, flavonoids, and saponins.The second chapter describes in vitro assays evaluating the leishmanicidal activity of the hydroalcoholic leaf extract and its fractions against Leishmania amazonensis, as well as cytotoxicity in RAW 264.7 macrophages and nitric oxide production. The results showed that L. pacari exhibits activity against L. amazonensis, particularly through the crude extract and the ethyl acetate fraction, which were more effective against amastigote forms. Low cytotoxicity in macrophages indicates a favorable safety profile. Increased nitric oxide production was also observed, suggesting that part of the effect may be related to its microbicidal action. Overall, the findings reinforce the potential of J. pacari as a bioactive resource from the Cerrado and higblight the need for further studies on the isolation of active compounds, toxicological evaluations, and clinical trials, aiming at its possible therapeutic application against leishmaniasis.