Figure 1.
Molecular structure of organotellurane RF07.
Figure 2.
Activity of RF07 on L. (L.) chagasi-infected macrophages.
Mouse bone marrow derived macrophages were infected with amastigotes of L. (L.) chagasi, treated with the drugs for 3 days and the infection index was estimated. *P<0.001 compared to control.
Figure 3.
Kinetics of RF07 leishmanicidal activity on L. (L.) chagasi-infected macrophages.
Macrophages were infected with amastigotes of L. (L.) chagasi, treated with the drugs for 3, 5 and 7 days and the infection index was calculated after each period. *P<0.001 compared to control.
Figure 4.
Treatment of L. (L.) chagasi-infected hamsters with RF07.
Spleen parasite load of L. (L.) chagasi-infected hamsters treated with either different concentrations of RF07 or Glucantime was determined by the limiting dilution method one month after end of the treatment. *P<0.001 compared to control.
Figure 5.
Toxicity evaluation in L. (L.) chagasi-infected hamster after treatment with RF07.
Serum concentrations of albumin (A), transaminases (B) and creatinine (C) in L. (L.) chagasi-infected hamsters 15 days after treatment with either RF07 or Glucantime. The reference values are: albumin: 3.2–4.3 g/dl; transaminases: ALT: 53–202 UI/L, AST: 28–107 UI/L; creatinine: 0.5–0.6 mg/dl.
Figure 6.
Effect of RF07 on proteolytic activity of L. (L.) chagasi amastigotes.
A - Fluorogenic substrates with different specificities for cathepsin-like proteases were incubated with extracts of L. (L.) chagasi amastigotes in the presence of DTT and increasing concentrations of RF07, as indicated. B and C - Fluorogenic substrate specific for cathepsin B-like proteases was incubated with extracts of L. (L.) chagasi in presence of increasing concentrations of either RF07 (B) or CA074 (C).