In vitro activity of the clinical pulmonary surfactant Surfacen® against Leishmania amazonensis

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo
• Main Authors: Odalys Blanco, Yuliannis Lugones, Elaine Díaz, Lianet Monzote
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade de São Paulo (USP) 2011
• Subjects: Leishmania amazonensis; Pulmonary surfactant; Antibiotic activity; Antimicrobial; SP-B; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Infectious and parasitic diseases; RC109-216; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0036-46652011000400012; https://doaj.org/article/726292ff6b104217bc7515a99674df0d

Surfacen® is an exogenous natural lung surfactant, composed by phospholipids and hydrophobic proteins, which is applied successfully in Newborn Respiratory Distress Syndrome. In this paper, in vitro activity of Surfacen® against Leishmania amazonensis is described. The product showed activity against the amastigote form found in peritoneal macrophages from BALB/c mice, with an IC50 value of 17.9 ± 3.0 µg/mL; while no toxic effect on host cell was observed up to 200 µg/mL. This is the first report about the antileishmanial activity of Surfacen®.