Cytotoxicity of prodigiosin and benznidazole on V79 cells

The cytotoxicity of prodigiosin, an antibiotic and potential trypanocide pr oduced by Serratia marcescens, and Benznidazole, a trypanocidal drug, were assayed on V79 fibroblast cell line. Three independent endpoints for cytoto xicity were evaluated; namely, the nucleic acid content (NAC), MTT reductio n and neutral red uptake (NRU). IC50 values of 1-20 mu M were obtained for prodigiosin in the NRU, MTT and NAC tests. Prodigiosin had greater trypanoc idal activity (IC50=5 mu M) than Nifurtimox (IC50 = 150 mu M) a known trypa nocide drug used in Chagas' disease therapy. Benznidazole was less toxic (I C50 = 2000 mu M) than prodigiosin (IC50 = 1-20 mu M) in V79 cells based on the MTT and NAC assays. Benznidazole stimulated the NRU until 2 mM. Indeed, the cell viability measured with the NRU was higher at all concentrations of benznidazole tested than that measured by MTT reduction and NAC assays. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.