In vitro tripanocidal effect of 1,8-dioxooctahydroxanthenes (xanthenodiones) and tetraketones and improvement of cardiac parameters in vivo.

•The xanthenediones and tetraketones presented antitrypanosomal activity against CL Tdtomato amastigotes in vitro.•In the mice infected with the Y strain of T. cruzi, the compound 9 reduced the parasitaemia (40%) and prevented the mortality.•The compound 9 reduced the inflammatory cardiac infiltration in mice infected with Y and CL strains of T. cruzi.•The compound 9 increased the IL-10 in those animals infected with the CL strain of T. cruzi with no hepatic and renal toxicity.