Effects of some fractions from Achillea biebersteinii and A.millefolium on the epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi

Higher plants are a potential source of new drugs to improve the treatment of Chagase disease, which is affecting 16-18 million people, with more than 100 million exposed to the risk of infection (Ambrozin et al., 2004; Coura & Castro, 2002). Current therapy is unsatisfactory, because the only two drugs available, benznidazole and nifortimox possess severe side effects and their activity is limited to the acute phase (Nogueda- Torres et al., 2001). In this study, the in vitro trypanocidal activity of some fractions for Achillea biebersteinii and A.millefolium (Compositae) was evaluated. Epimastigotes of T. cruzi (Tulahuen strain) were kept in GIT medium (Wako) supplemented with hemin (12.4 µM, Wako). The epimastigotes in GIT medium (10 µL) were incubated with a test sample dissolved in EtOH (5 µL) and autoclaved saline (185 µL). All samples were incubated at 27°C for 24 hours. The movement of epimastigotes was observed under a microscope. Diethyl ether fractions of both plants were the most active fraction (MLC=12.5 µg/ml) against the epimastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, the ethiological agent of Chagas disease. The trypanocidal activity seems to be decreased by fractionation using MeOH and water as solvents. The results obtained from biological assay revealed that Achillea could be a source of active trypanocidal compounds. In addition, the preliminary phytochemical studies showed that the active fractions consisted of terpenoids and flavonoids.