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Pathogens
Volume 14
Issue 8
10.3390/pathogens14080736
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Trypanosoma cruzi Growth Is Impaired by Oleoresin and Leaf Hydroalcoholic Extract from Copaifera multijuga in Human Trophoblast and Placental Explants

by
Guilherme de Souza
1,†,
Clara Peleteiro Teixeira
1,†,
Joed Pires de Lima Júnior
1,
Marcos Paulo Oliveira Almeida
1,
Marina Paschoalino
1,
Luana Carvalho Luz
1,
Natália Carine Lima dos Santos
1,
Rafael Martins de Oliveira
1,
Izadora Santos Damasceno
1,
Matheus Carvalho Barbosa
1,
Guilherme Vieira Faria
1,
Maria Anita Lemos Vasconcelos Ambrosio
2,
Rodrigo Cassio Sola Veneziani
2,
Jairo Kenupp Bastos
3,
Angelica Oliveira Gomes
4,
Rosiane Nascimento Alves
5,
Carlos Henrique Gomes Martins
6,
Samuel Cota Teixeira
1,
Eloisa Amália Vieira Ferro
1 and
Bellisa Freitas Barbosa
1,*
1
Laboratory of Immunophysiology of Reproduction, Institute of Biomedical Science, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Uberlândia 38405-318, MG, Brazil
2
Nucleus of Research in Technological and Exact Sciences, Universidade de Franca, Franca 14404-600, SP, Brazil
3
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 14040-903, SP, Brazil
4
Institute of Natural and Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal do Triângulo Mineiro, Uberaba 38025-015, MG, Brazil
5
Department of Agricultural and Natural Science, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, Ituiutaba 38302-192, MG, Brazil
6
Laboratory of Antimicrobial Testing, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de Uberlandia, Uberlandia 38405-318, MG, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Pathogens 2025, 14(8), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080736
Submission received: 16 June 2025 / Revised: 15 July 2025 / Accepted: 23 July 2025 / Published: 25 July 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploring Natural Products as Antiparasitic Agents: Efficacy Against Parasites of Veterinary and Public Health Significance)
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Abstract

Congenital Chagas disease (CCD) is caused when Trypanosoma cruzi crosses the placental barrier during pregnancy and reaches the fetus, which can lead to serious consequences in the developing fetus. Current treatment is carried out with nifurtimox or benznidazole, but their effectiveness is limited, and they cause side effects, requiring the search for new therapeutic strategies. In this sense, many studies have demonstrated the potential of different compounds of the Copaifera genus in the control of parasitic diseases. Here, we aimed to evaluate the effect of oleoresin (OR) and leaf hydroalcoholic extract (LHE) of Copaifera multijuga on Trypanosoma cruzi infection in human villous trophoblast cells (BeWo line) and human placenta explants. Treatment with both compounds reduced invasion, proliferation, and release of trypomastigotes. Furthermore, OR and LHE affected the trypomastigotes and amastigote morphology, compromising their ability to invade and proliferate in BeWo cells, respectively. Also, treatment with OR decreased ROS production in infected BeWo cells, while LHE induced an increase. In addition, both compounds induced pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine production. In human placental explants, both compounds also decreased T. cruzi infection, in addition to inducing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, both OR and LHE of C. multijuga control T. cruzi infection at the human maternal–fetal interface, highlighting the possible therapeutic potential of these compounds for the treatment of CCD.
Keywords: Trypanosoma cruzi; congenital Chagas disease; phytotherapeutic treatment; placenta Trypanosoma cruzi; congenital Chagas disease; phytotherapeutic treatment; placenta
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MDPI and ACS Style

Souza, G.d.; Teixeira, C.P.; Lima Júnior, J.P.d.; Almeida, M.P.O.; Paschoalino, M.; Luz, L.C.; dos Santos, N.C.L.; de Oliveira, R.M.; Damasceno, I.S.; Barbosa, M.C.; et al. Trypanosoma cruzi Growth Is Impaired by Oleoresin and Leaf Hydroalcoholic Extract from Copaifera multijuga in Human Trophoblast and Placental Explants. Pathogens 2025, 14, 736. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080736

AMA Style

Souza Gd, Teixeira CP, Lima Júnior JPd, Almeida MPO, Paschoalino M, Luz LC, dos Santos NCL, de Oliveira RM, Damasceno IS, Barbosa MC, et al. Trypanosoma cruzi Growth Is Impaired by Oleoresin and Leaf Hydroalcoholic Extract from Copaifera multijuga in Human Trophoblast and Placental Explants. Pathogens. 2025; 14(8):736. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080736

Chicago/Turabian Style

Souza, Guilherme de, Clara Peleteiro Teixeira, Joed Pires de Lima Júnior, Marcos Paulo Oliveira Almeida, Marina Paschoalino, Luana Carvalho Luz, Natália Carine Lima dos Santos, Rafael Martins de Oliveira, Izadora Santos Damasceno, Matheus Carvalho Barbosa, and et al. 2025. "Trypanosoma cruzi Growth Is Impaired by Oleoresin and Leaf Hydroalcoholic Extract from Copaifera multijuga in Human Trophoblast and Placental Explants" Pathogens 14, no. 8: 736. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080736

APA Style

Souza, G. d., Teixeira, C. P., Lima Júnior, J. P. d., Almeida, M. P. O., Paschoalino, M., Luz, L. C., dos Santos, N. C. L., de Oliveira, R. M., Damasceno, I. S., Barbosa, M. C., Faria, G. V., Ambrosio, M. A. L. V., Veneziani, R. C. S., Bastos, J. K., Gomes, A. O., Alves, R. N., Martins, C. H. G., Teixeira, S. C., Ferro, E. A. V., & Barbosa, B. F. (2025). Trypanosoma cruzi Growth Is Impaired by Oleoresin and Leaf Hydroalcoholic Extract from Copaifera multijuga in Human Trophoblast and Placental Explants. Pathogens, 14(8), 736. https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080736

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