EFFECT OF SOME BISBENZYLISOQUINOLINE ALKALOIDS ON AMERICAN LEISHMANIASP IN BALB C MICE/

Four bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, antioquine, berbamine, gyrocarpi ne and isotetrandrine were tested in BALB/c mice infected with Leishma nia amazonensis (IFLA/BR/67/PH8 or MHOM/GF/84/CAY-H-142) or L. venezue lensis (VE/74/PM-H3). The treatments were initiated 1 day after the pa rasitic infection, with alkaloid at 100 mg/kg/day for 14 days and the reference compound, meglumine antimonate (Glucantime(R)) at 200 mg/kg/ day. Antioquine, berbamine and gyrocarpine were less potent than Gluca ntime against L. amazonensis (PH8). Only isotetrandrine exhibited acti vity approximately equal to or greater than Glucantime in BALB/c mice infected with L. amazonensis (PH8 or H-142) and showed significant act ivity against L. venezuelensis. Experiments with a single local treatm ent on the footpad, 2 weeks after parasitic infection with L. amazonen sis (PH8), showed that isotetrandrine at 200 mg/kg was less active tha n Glucantime at 400 mg/kg.