Campomanesia xanthocarpa(Mart.) O. Berg essential oil induces antileishmanial activity and remodeling of the cytoplasm organelles

Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that affects millions of people worldwide. This study aimed to analyze antileishmanial activity ofCampomanesia xanthocarpaleaf essential oil (EO) on promastigote and amastigote forms ofLeishmania amazonensis, cytotoxicity in murine macrophages and sheep erythrocytes. The essential oil (EO) was analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrophotometry. The main and most abundant compounds were sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (71.22%) such astrans-caryophyllene (7.87%), bicyclogermacrene (11.28%), and delta-cadinene (8.34%). The IC(50)for promastigote and amastigote forms ofL. amazonensiswas 70 mu g mL(-1)and 6 mu g mL(-1), respectively.C. xanthocarpaEO was not cytotoxic for murine macrophages (CC(50)1860 mu g mL(-1)) and sheep erythrocytes (1.5%), presenting high selectivity index for protozoan (310).C. xanthocarpaEO induced effects on the morphology and ultrastructure of this parasite. The high activity for intracellular amastigote forms, low toxicity to murine macrophages, and erythrocytes, suggest thatC. xanthocarpaEO is promising for the treatment of leishmaniasis.