A flexible synthetic route to (R)-harmonine ((R)-1), the toxic principle of the Asian lady beetle Harmonia axyridis (H. axyridis), via reductive olefination of the macrocyclic lactone (S)-5, is reported. High enantiomeric purity is achieved by enantioselective saponification of the lactone rac-5 with horse liver esterase. Minor modifications in the synthetic route give access to racemic and chi...

Leishmaniases are endemic zoonoses in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. Their etiological agents in this region of Brazil are Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi, Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a tool with high specificity and sensitivity for identifying Leishmania species. This study examined 39 cryopreserved isolate...

New therapeutic alternatives against leishmaniasis remain a priority. The activity of azithromycin against Leishmania (Leishmania) major has been previously demonstrated. Different responses among species of Leishmania make species-specific drug screening necessary. The activity of azithromycin against Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis was evaluated in go...

Background: Lipophosphoglycan 3 (LPG3) is required for the LPG assembly, a well known virulent molecule. In this study, the LPG3 gene of the lizard and mammalian Leishmania species were cloned and sequenced. A three-dimensional structure (3D) for the target sequence was also predicted by comparative (homology) modeling. Materials and Methods: An optimization PCR amplification was performed o...

Mexico is considered endemic for Leishmania; recent reports indicate autochthonous human and canine leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania mexicana in Sinaloa state. Lutzomyia sand fly are the primary vector of parasite, although no records phlebotomine vectors exist from Sinaloa. Other hematophagous dipterans, like Culicoides, could represent possible absence phlebotomines. The known distribution ...

Abstract Protective immunity to cutaneous leishmaniasis is mediated by IFN-γ–secreting CD4+ Th1 cells. IFN-γ binds its receptor on Leishmania-infected macrophages, resulting in their activation, production of NO, and subsequent destruction parasites. This study investigated the role Semaphorin 3E (Sema3E) host Leishmania major infection mice. We observed a significant increase Sema3E expression...

Infection of dendritic cells by the human protozoal parasite Leishmania is part of its survival strategy. The dendritic cell receptors for Leishmania have not been established and might differ in their interactions among Leishmania species and infective stages. We present evidence that the surface C-type lectin DC-SIGN (CD 209) is a receptor for promastigote and amastigote infective stages from...

The in vitro leishmanicidal activity of miltefosine® (Zentaris GmbH) was assessed against four medically relevant Leishmania species of Brazil: Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis and Leishmania (Leishmania) chagasi. The activity of miltefosine against these New World species was compared to its activity against the Old World s...