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The Trypanocidal Activity of Naphthoquinones: A Review

Naphthoquinones are compounds present in several families of higher plants. Their molecular structures confer redox properties, and they are involved in multiple biological oxidative processes. In folk medicine, especially among Indian populations, plants containing naphthoquinones have been employe...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Ventura Pinto, Antônio, Lisboa de Castro, Solange
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Molecular Diversity Preservation International 2009
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6255437/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19924086
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules14114570
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author Ventura Pinto, Antônio
Lisboa de Castro, Solange
author_facet Ventura Pinto, Antônio
Lisboa de Castro, Solange
author_sort Ventura Pinto, Antônio
collection PubMed
description Naphthoquinones are compounds present in several families of higher plants. Their molecular structures confer redox properties, and they are involved in multiple biological oxidative processes. In folk medicine, especially among Indian populations, plants containing naphthoquinones have been employed for the treatment of various diseases. The biological redox cycle of quinones can be initiated by one electron reduction leading to the formation of semiquinones, unstable intermediates that react rapidly with molecular oxygen, generating free radicals. Alternatively, the reduction by two electrons, mediated by DT-diphorase, leads to the formation of hydroquinone. Lapachol, α-lapachone and β-lapachone, which are isolated from the heartwood of trees of the Bignoniaceae family, are examples of bioactive naphthoquinones. In this review, we will discuss studies investigating the activity of these natural products and their derivatives in the context of the search for alternative drugs for Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a neglected illness that is endemic in Latin America.
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spelling pubmed-62554372018-11-30 The Trypanocidal Activity of Naphthoquinones: A Review Ventura Pinto, Antônio Lisboa de Castro, Solange Molecules Review Naphthoquinones are compounds present in several families of higher plants. Their molecular structures confer redox properties, and they are involved in multiple biological oxidative processes. In folk medicine, especially among Indian populations, plants containing naphthoquinones have been employed for the treatment of various diseases. The biological redox cycle of quinones can be initiated by one electron reduction leading to the formation of semiquinones, unstable intermediates that react rapidly with molecular oxygen, generating free radicals. Alternatively, the reduction by two electrons, mediated by DT-diphorase, leads to the formation of hydroquinone. Lapachol, α-lapachone and β-lapachone, which are isolated from the heartwood of trees of the Bignoniaceae family, are examples of bioactive naphthoquinones. In this review, we will discuss studies investigating the activity of these natural products and their derivatives in the context of the search for alternative drugs for Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, a neglected illness that is endemic in Latin America. Molecular Diversity Preservation International 2009-11-10 /pmc/articles/PMC6255437/ /pubmed/19924086 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules14114570 Text en © 2009 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/).
spellingShingle Review
Ventura Pinto, Antônio
Lisboa de Castro, Solange
The Trypanocidal Activity of Naphthoquinones: A Review
title The Trypanocidal Activity of Naphthoquinones: A Review
title_full The Trypanocidal Activity of Naphthoquinones: A Review
title_fullStr The Trypanocidal Activity of Naphthoquinones: A Review
title_full_unstemmed The Trypanocidal Activity of Naphthoquinones: A Review
title_short The Trypanocidal Activity of Naphthoquinones: A Review
title_sort trypanocidal activity of naphthoquinones: a review
topic Review
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6255437/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19924086
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules14114570
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