Planta Med 2013; 79 - PN72
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1348753

Pentalinonsterol Alters Fatty Acid Composition of the Lipids in the Promastigotes of Leishmania

AD Kinghorn 1, SR Kotha 2, AB Shelton 2, C Terrazas 3, CM Lezama-Davila 3, AP Isaac-Marquez 4, JR Fuchs 1, L Pan 1, AR Satoskar 3, NL Parinandi 2
  • 1College of Pharmacy, Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy
  • 2Dorothy M. Davis Heart and Lung Research Institute
  • 3Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
  • 4Centro de Investigacion en Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad Autonoma de Campeche, 24030, Campeche, Mexico

The ability of pentalinonsterol, a new antileishmanial agent original isolated from Pentalinon andrieuxii, in altering fatty acid composition of the lipid in the promastigotes of Leishmania was evaluated. Synthesized pentalinonsterol caused significant decreases in the levels of certain saturated fatty acids and unsaturated fatty acids in the promastigotes. However, the levels of omega-3 fatty acids such as the eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids were significantly elevated. This study reveals that pentalinonsterol differentially altered the fatty acid composition in the lipids of promastigotes of Leishmania suggesting the membrane-altering properties and lipid metabolism-modulating actions of pentalinonsterol in the promastigotes of Leishmania.