Antileishmanial Activity of 2-Methoxy-4H-spiro-[naphthalene-1,2′-oxiran]-4-one (Epoxymethoxy-lawsone): A Promising New Drug Candidate for Leishmaniasis Treatment

Epoxymethoxy-lawsone is a naphthoquinone derivative promising as drug candidate for the treatment of leishmaniases. In the present work the effectiveness of epoxymethoxylawsone, and meglumine antimoniate on Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis parasites and on mice paw lesions of infected BALB/c mice was assessed. In an intracellular amastigotes assay, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) value for epoxymethoxylawsone was slightly higher (1.7-fold) than that found for meglumine antimoniate. The efficacy of both drugs became more evident after 48 h of exposure when either the oxirane compound and reference drug reached 18-fold and 7.4-fold lower IC(50) values (0.40 ± 0.001 µM and 0.60 ± 0.02 µM), respectively. Promastigotes were also affected by epoxymethoxylawsone after 24 h of incubation (IC(50) = 45.45 ± 5.0 µM), but with IC(50) 6-fold higher than those found for intracellular amastigotes. Cytotoxicity analysis revealed that epoxymethoxylawsone (CC(50) = 40.05 ± µM) has 1.7-fold higher effects than meglumine antimoniate (CC(50) = 24.14 ± 2.6 µM). Treatment of the paw lesion in infected BALB/c mice with epoxymethoxy-lawsone led to a significant 27% reduction (p < 0.05) of the lesion size, for all administrated doses, compared to the control group. Lesion reduction was also detected after mice treatment with meglumine antimoniate, reaching 31.0% (0.23 mg of Sb(V)/Kg/day and 2.27 mg of Sb(V)/Kg/day) and 64.0% (22.7 mg of Sb(V)/Kg/day). In addition, mice lesion ultrastructural changes were evidenced in amastigotes. The set of data gathered here indicate that epoxymethoxylawsone has pronounced effects on parasites and merits furthering to the preclinical stage.