Effect of 7-hydroxy-coumarins on mitochondrial function: Comparison of a model of murine macrophages and Trypanosoma cruzi

Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiological agent of Chagas disease. This protozoan presents an attractive energy metabolism. The single branched mitochondria spanning the whole parasite body constitutes a protozoan weakness and a target for the development of new anti-T. cruzi drugs. Coumarins present a broad spectrum of biological activities, including the ability to affect the mitochondrial function of parasites such as Leishmania. Coumarin target would involve the inhibition of fumarate reductase, an essential enzyme in respiratory chain to the parasite. In this work, was studied the effect of 7-hydroxy coumarins on the mitochondrial function of T. cruzi epimastigotes and murine macrophages.