J Ethnopharmacol. 1988 Dec; 24(2-3): 337-43.

[ Active trypanocidal alkaloids, bisbenzylisoquinoles ii. active in vitro against trypanosoma cruzi the agent responsible for trypanosomiasis, south america.]

Fournet A, Manjon AM, MuÃ±oz V, Angelo A, Bruneton J, Hocquemiller R, Cortes D, CavÃ© A.

Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie, ORSTOM-IBBA, La Paz, Bolivia.

Chagas disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi is an endemic parasitic disease in Central and South America. The chemotherapeutic agents against Trypanosoma cruzi (imidazol compounds, lampit and benznidazol) are not very convenient products. Since it is known that protozoan Trypanosoma are close to Leishmania we studied the action of 14 bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, in vitro, on three strains of T. cruzi (Tulahuen, C8C11, and 1979 CL1). As in the case of Leishmania, gyrocarpine, daphnandrine and obaberine showed an interesting activity and we judge them to be worthy of in vivo assays.