Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

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Current Research in Biotechnology

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/crbiot

Isopentyl caffeate as a promising drug for the treatment of leishmaniasis:

An in silico and in vivo study
Wanessa S. Mota a, Simone S.C. Oliveira b, Matheus M. Pereira c, Damião P. Souza d,
Mayara Castro d, Pollyanna S. Gomes e, Herbert L.M. Guedes e, Vinícius F. Souza e,
André L.S. Santos b, Ricardo L.C. Albuquerque-Junior f, g, Juliana C. Cardoso a,
Cristina Blanco-Llamero h, i, Sona Jain a, Eliana B. Souto h, *, Patrícia Severino a, *
a
University of Tiradentes (Unit) and Institute of Technology and Research (ITP), Av. Murilo Dantas, 300, 49010-390 Aracaju, Brazil
b
Institute of Microbiology Paulo de Góes, Department of General Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, (UFRJ), 21941-901 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
c
University of Coimbra, CERES, Department of Chemical Engineering, Rua Sílvio Lima, Pólo II – Pinhal de Marrocos, 3030-790 Coimbra, Portugal
d
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, 58051-970 João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil
e
Laboratory of Clinical Immunology, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Av. Brasil 4365, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
f
Post-Graduating Program in Dentistry, Department of Dentistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-370, Brazil
g
Department of Pathology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-370, Brazil
h
Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Department of Drug Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
i
Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Ctra Pozuelo-Majadahonda Km 1, 800, 28223, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain

A R T I C L E I N F O A B S T R A C T

Keywords: Leishmaniasis is recognised as the second largest parasitic disease worldwide and yet a neglected disease. The
Leishmania current pharmacological treatments are associated with significant challenges, including high toxicity, high cost
Isopentyl caffeate and parasitic resistance. Considering the potential of isopentyl caffeate (ICaf) as an anti-leishmanial agent, the
In silico
present work evaluated the in vivo toxicity of ICaf and the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
Pharmacokinetics
ADME
(ADME) properties in silico, aiming at the treatment of Leishmania amazonensis. For the in vivo toxicity testing,
Bioavailability Swiss mice (Mus musculus) were treated with a single dose of ICaf. During the 14-day evaluation period, the
animals underwent assessments including hippocratic screening, weight measurement, as well as histological and
hematological evaluations. Analysis of ADME properties of ICaf was conducted to evaluate its pharmacokinetic
characteristics and bioavailability. Characteristics, such as molar refractivity through Lipinski’s Rule of Five,
were identified. The in silico results showed that ICaf is considered to have good oral bioavailability and has
potential to be considered as a new drug. From the in vivo toxicity testing, none of the evaluated parameters
revealed toxicity of ICaf to the animals when treated intraperitoneally. The in vivo treatment reduced the lesion
and the parasite load at the tested doses, corroborating the assumption that ICaf may be a potential pharma­
cological alternative against L. amazonensis.

1. Introduction 12 million people worldwide. The World Health Organization (WHO)

reports that this parasitic condition is endemic in 98 countries, with 9
Leishmaniasis, a well-known neglected disease transmitted by pro­ countries experiencing endemicity exclusively for visceral leishmaniasis
tozoan parasites belonging to the Leishmania genus, poses a significant (VL), 21 countries are endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) alone,
global socioeconomic and public health burden (Gimeno-Pitarch et al., and 68 countries have endemicity for both forms of the disease
2024). It predominantly affects impoverished populations in regions of (Ornellas-Garcia et al., 2023).
Africa, Asia, and Latin America, putting millions of people at risk of More than 20 species of the genus Leishmania are known to cause the
infection (Narsimulu et al., 2024). Presently, leishmaniasis affects about disease. These species can cause various clinical forms, such as visceral

* Corresponding authors at: Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy of University of Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313
Porto, Portugal. University of Tiradentes (Unit) and Institute of Technology and Research (ITP). Av. Murilo Dantas, 300, 49010-390 Aracaju, Brazil.
E-mail addresses: ebsouto@ff.up.pt (E.B. Souto), patricia_severino@itp.org.br (P. Severino).

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crbiot.2024.100209
Received 7 November 2023; Received in revised form 28 March 2024; Accepted 2 April 2024
Available online 3 April 2024
2590-2628/© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
W.S. Mota et al. Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

leishmaniasis (VL), mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL), and cutaneous required to develop a drug. To this end, it seeks to recognize the simi­
leishmaniasis (CL) (Nuwangi et al., 2023). Leishmania species respon­ larity of drugs through their chemical structures and physicochemical
sible for human diseases include L. infantum and L. donovani, which properties to improve the chances of safety and desirable results (Jia
cause visceral leishmaniasis (VL), L. braziliensis and L. peruviana cause et al., 2020; Sakyi et al., 2023), and predict pharmacokinetic profiles
the cutaneous-mucosal form, and L. amazonensis, L. Mexicana, L. tropica, (ADME). Subsequently, further in vivo experiments are conducted to
L. major, L. aethiopica, which are responsible for causing the cutaneous evaluate the efficacy of the treatment (Huang et al., 2020; Mirzaei,
form (Kaushal et al., 2023). VL is the most severe one, characterized by 2020).
pronounced symptoms including weight loss, fever, hep­ Considering the rationale presented above, the aim of our work was
atosplenomegaly, hypergammaglobulinemia, and pancytopenia. If left to assess the absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME)
untreated, VL can ultimately lead to a fatal outcome (Singh et al., 2024). properties of this promising and potent antileishmanial compound
CL represents a clinical variant of leishmaniasis distinguished by lesions (ICaf), by initially applying an in silico approach. As a logical progression
capable of partially or completely damaging the mucous membranes, of these studies, we investigated the drug toxicity profile using mice as
leading to disfigurement and social ostracism of the affected individuals. an in vivo model. Finally, we evaluated the capacity of ICaf to control the
MCL, the prevalent form of the disease, is characterized by painless and in vivo infection in mice.
persistent symptoms. Lesions typically manifest in regions where sand
fly bites occur, including the arms, legs, and face (de Vries and Schallig, 2. Material and methods
2022; Pederiva et al., 2023).
The classical drugs for treating VL and CL are pentavalent antimo­ 2.1. Materials
nials, which are commercially available as sodium stibogluconate
(Pentostam®) and meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime®). Other drugs, The ICaf was synthesized by Professor Damião P. de Souza from the
such as amphotericin B deoxycholate (Fungizone®), miltefosine and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences of the Federal University of
pentamidine, have also been commonly used in the treatment of leish­ Paraíba (PB, Brazil), according to the methodology described by Araújo
maniasis (Verdan et al., 2023). However, the currently available drugs et al. (2019). If not otherwise stated, all other reagents were obtained
cannot be regarded as ideal due to their association with low therapeutic from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA). Home supplied ultra-pure
efficacy rates, significant side effects and the emergence of parasites water (MilliQ, Merk Millipore, Burlington, MO, USA) was used for the
with drug-resistant phenotype (Kumar et al., 2024). Unfortunately, performed experiments.
limited progress has been made in terms improvement of the therapeutic
options. Therefore, the search for new strategies and the discovery of 2.2. In silico experiments - ADME property analysis
novel compounds with anti-leishmanial activity is of paramount
importance. The ADME properties of the compound (pharmacokinetic, bioavail­
Isopentyl caffeate is a phenylpropanoid ester of plant origin, derived ability and druglikeness characteristics) were evaluated using the in
from caffeic acid, and has interesting pharmacological properties, due to silico Swiss ADME tool (http://www.swissadme.ch/) from the Swiss
its antioxidant and antimicrobial activity (Steverding et al., 2016). The Institute of Bioinformatics. Using SMILES (simplified molecular input
activity of isopentyl caffeate against Trypanosoma brucei was described line entry specification) code, a line notation used to analyze the mo­
as having a growth inhibition value of GI50 < 0.2 μg/mL and selectivity lecular structure of ICaf was used and then the prediction of bioavail­
index > 100, with inhibition action of the lysosomal protease cathepsin ability parameters was performed: polarity, lipophilicity, molecule size,
L of T. brucei (Steverding et al., 2016). flexibility, solubility and saturation. Together, the blood–brain barrier
Our research group has previously reported the potent anti- (BBB) permeation and the human intestinal absorption patterns, were
leishmanial action of isopentyl caffeate (ICaf) (Marques et al., 2020; evaluated using the predictive model BOILED-Egg (Brain or IntestinaL
Oliveira et al., 2021), showing IC50 values of 0.39 µg/mL (1.56 µM) for Estimate D Permeation Method), which allows the calculation of the
L. amazonensis and 0.43 µg/mL (1.71 µM) for L. infantum (Marques et al., lipophilicity and polarity of molecules. The activity of ICaf in the central
2020; Oliveira et al., 2021). ICaf induced relevant morphological nervous system (CNS) was assessed by observing the affinity of the efflux
changes in Leishmania promastigote forms, such as modification of the transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) (Daina and Zoete, 2016). Lipinski’s
parasite body by reducing the size of the flagellum, blebs on the plasma rule of five was implemented to investigate the logP, molecular weight,
membrane, and cellular aggregation, which corroborate its leishmani­ number of hydrogen bond donors, number of hydrogen bond acceptors,
cidal action. Experiments deciphering the ICaf mechanisms of action and molar refractivity of ICaf (Lipinski, 2004). By definition, to satisfy
revealed that it targets the parasite mitochondrion, leading to a signif­ the rule, the compound must have a logP ≤ 5 ICaf, a number of
icant downregulation of its metabolic activity and electric membrane hydrogen bond acceptors ≤ 10, a number of hydrogen bond donors ≤ 5,
potential, which results in the production of reactive oxygen species and a molecular weight ≤ 500 Da (Lipinski, 2004).
(ROS), that induce loss of plasma membrane integrity and parasitic
death. Furthermore, a potent anti-amastigote activity was also identified 2.3. In vivo toxicity assay
for ICaf, with IC50 values of 1.52 µM and 1.60 µM calculated for intra­
cellular amastigotes of L. amazonensis and L. infantum, respectively. For the in vivo toxicity assay, fifty-six male Swiss mice (Mus musculus)
Importantly, ICaf was well tolerated by THP-1 macrophages, resulting in aged two months and weighing between 20 and 25 g, from the vivarium
excellent selectivity indices, namely, 90.5 after 24 h, 132.4 after 48 h at Universidade Tiradentes were used. The present study respected the
and 120.1 after 72 h for L. amazonensis and 119.3 after 24 h, 115.1 after ethical principles in research with laboratory animals established by the
48 h and 114.1 after 72 h for L. infantum. However, against promastigote Brazilian Guideline for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific and
forms, it was 117.1 for L. amazonensis and 106.2 for L. infantum after 72 Didactic Purposes and, by the CONCEA Guidelines for the Practice of
h of treatment with ICaf (Oliveira et al., 2021). Euthanasia It is also in accordance with the Law 11.794/2008 and was
To identify a potential drug candidate, it is necessary to comprehend approved by the Ethics Committee on the use of animals of the institu­
its pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, typically tion: Tiradentes University CEUA 011020A 030219. The study was
accomplished through a series of in vivo experiments aimed at assessing carried out according to the guidelines for the care of laboratory animals
toxicity. Additionally, in silico analysis utilizing ADME (Absorption, (ANVISA, 2013; ISO, 2022).
Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) tools can provide valuable For the toxicity tests in the acute phase, the animals were split into
insights into new compounds. In this context, in silico strategies, such as four experimental groups, each comprising six animals. These groups
computational modeling techniques, optimize the time and expense were administered a single oral dose of the ICaf suspension at varying

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W.S. Mota et al. Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

doses: 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/kg, alongside the control group which received Louis, MO, USA) supplemented with 10 % fetal bovine serum (FBS)
the vehicle (PBS with 10 % DMSO and 0.1 % Tween 80). The animals (Cultilab, São Paulo, SP, Brazil), 100 U/mL penicillin, 100 μg/mL
were monitored over a period of 14 days, following administration on streptomycin and 5 mg/mL hemin (Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO, USA) at
day 1. Individual filming sessions were conducted at specific time- 26 ◦ C in a BOD incubator (MOD. 347CD; FANEM, São Paulo, Brazil).
points, namely, 15 min, 30 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h and 8 h (da Silva Borto­
leti et al., 2019). The behaviour of animals was video-recorded and 2.4.2. Animals’ infection
analysing, until the 14th day, hippocratic screening parameters, such as For the in vivo infection assays, female mice (Mus musculus/C57BL/6;
irritability, tremors, convulsions, piloerection, respiration, and mortal­ BALB/c) with a body weight of approximately 20 g (6–8 weeks), from
ity. Water and feed consumption were monitored throughout the 14- the vivarium of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (RJ, Brazil),
days period. At the end of the study, the animals were euthanized, were intradermally infected with 2 × 106 L. amazonensis promastigotes
and their organs (heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys) were extracted in stationary phase, in the right paw of the animals. The infection was
for microscopic evaluation (Cunha-Júnior et al., 2016). monitored over time by measuring the increase of the paw thickness
Blood collection from the animals was performed at three different using a dial caliper (Mitutoyo 7301, Kanagawa, Japan). The present
times, before the start of treatment (day 0), after treatment (day 2) and study respected the ethical principles in research with laboratory ani­
at the end of the experiment (on the 14th day). It is worth noting that the mals established by the Brazilian Guideline for the Care and Use of
animals were fasted for 13 to 16 h before blood collection. Animals for Scientific and Teaching Purposes and, by the CONCEA
Blood samples were taken from the tail vein for creatinine, urea, Guidelines for the Practice of Euthanasia, it is also in accordance with
glucose, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase the precepts of the Law 11.794/2008 and was approved by the Ethics
(AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) tests. The concentrations in the Committee on the use of animals of the respective institution: Health
serum were determined by colorimetric enzymatic tests, with spectro­ Sciences Center of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro CEUA A11/
photometric identification in an automatic biochemical analyzer, using 19–080-18 (ANVISA, 2013; ISO, 2022).
commercial Labtest® kits, following the manufacturer’s instructions. At
the end of the in vivo efficacy study (after 14 days), the taken blood 2.4.3. Animals’ treatment
samples were kept at room temperature for 30 min followed by centri­ The treatments were started from the seventeen-day post-infection
fugation for 10 min at 3500 × g. To assess renal and hepatic toxicity, by intraperitoneal injections of 30 and 60 mg/kg of ICaf with a total of
serum was collected from each blood sample. The serum levels of treated 15 doses, while the control animal group received the vehicle (PBS with
rats were compared with untreated rats. Data were expressed as mean ± 10 % DMSO and 0.1 % Tween 80). In the final of treatment, the infected
SD (n = 4/group). For the toxicity tests in the acute phase, the animals paw was excised and disinfected by placing it for 1 min in 70 % alcohol.
were split into four experimental groups, each comprising six animals. Spleen and liver were also removed and placed in Eppendorfs containing
The test kits were used on Labmax Plenno equipment. All results were 1 mL of 199 medium with 10 % FBS. These organs were then homoge­
obtained by automated biochemical testing in triplicate. All results were nized. A volume of 50 μL of the homogenates was diluted four-fold in
obtained by automated biochemical testing in triplicate (Calvo et al., 150 μL of 199 medium per well, in 96-well plates, which were then­
2020). placed in a BOD incubator for 7 to 14 days at 26 ◦C. By the end of this
Animals were euthanized after sampling the blood. under CO2 in­ timeframe, plates were checed under an optical microscope and, for the
halation, and the brain, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen, testes and determination of the parasite load, the last well in which parasites were
ovaries were removed, weighed, and examined macroscopically. The seen was considered. For the calculation, the following equation was
weight of the organs was calculated as the percentage of relative weight: used:
organweight 4X
× 100 Numberofparasites =
bodyweight Massoforgans(g)

Organswere fixed in formalin, dehydrated, diaphanized, embedded in where X is the number of the last well in which parasites were observed.
paraffin, and 5-µm thick sections were obtained, stained with hema­ Statistical analyses were performed using GraphPad Prism 8 software
toxylin/eosin for histological examination. The microscopic analysis of (GraphPad Software, Inc., La Jolla, CA, USA). Statistical differences
all tissue samples was carried out as a blind study, i.e., by analyzing the between values were evaluated by the parametric One-Way ANOVA
tissues randomly to minimize possible interferences such as to which (two-tailed) or t-Student test. Differences between the control and
group of animals the tissue under observation belongs. The architectural treated groups were considered statistically significant at p ≤ 0.05.
and cellular features of the parenchymal and stromal components of the
organs, as well as the presence of necrosis, or degenerative changes and 2.4.4. Statistical analysis
architectural features of the tissue samples were evaluated (da Silva All experiments were carried out in triplicate, using three indepen­
et al., 2015). dent experimental sets. Unidirectional ANOVA was used for the statis­
The toxicity results are represented as mean together with standard tical analysis of data in a GraphPad Prism 4.0 software. To evaluate
deviation of tests performed in duplicates. Differences between distinct numerical data, descriptive analysis, including mean and standard de­
groups were assessed using two-way ANOVA for repeated measures viation, was used.
[factor 1: treatment (Control; Dose 0.5; Dose 5 and Dose 50) and factor
2: time (day 1, day 6 and day 14)], followed by a posteriori Tukey test, 3. Results and discussion
when appropriate. All tests were two-tailed and with a significance level
of 5 %. 3.1. In silico experiments

ICaf exhibited bioavailability levels that fall within the optimal and
2.4. In vivo infection and treatment desirable range, indicating potential use for oral administration and
effective systemic absorption. In Fig. 1, the molecular structure of ICaf is
2.4.1. Parasites and cultivation shown for a more in-depth analysis of the bioavailability (Fig. 2).
Leishmania amazonensis (MHOM/BR75/Josefa strain) was obtained The evaluation of ICaf bioavailability encompassed various key
from the Leishmania Collectio of the Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ; characteristics, including solubility, lipophilicity, polarity, molecule
Leishmania Type Culture Collection-LTTC-WDCM 731, RJ, Brazil). size, flexibility, and saturation (Fig. 2). The grey area depicted in the
Promastigotes were maintained in 199 medium (Sigma-Aldrich, St

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W.S. Mota et al. Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

graph represents the bioavailability limits of the compound, while the

bold line indicates the real values achieved by ICaf. Before formulating a
candidate drug, knowledge of the human intestinal absorption is
essential and computational screening is important for solving problems
related to absorption before synthesis (Ahmad et al., 2024).
Solubility stands to the maximum amount that a substance is dis­
solved in a specific volume of solvent at a certain temperature and
pressure. In terms of lipophilicity, drugs exhibiting a higher partition
coefficient generally demonstrate enhanced permeability across hydro­
phobic biomembranes. This characteristic can lead to increased phar­
macological effects and a more favorable bioavailability profile (Soares
et al., 2022).
In general, the ICaf drug exhibited a favorable lipophilicity profile, a
critical factor for passive absorption of substances, ensuring its effec­
tiveness. It is well-known that an imbalance in lipophilicity can result in
strong binding of the drug to plasma proteins, leading to a decrease in
the free drug concentration and consequently reducing its potency.
Furthermore, substances that are highly hydrophilic or polar often
exhibit decreased bioavailability due to their low permeability through
cell membranes. Utilizing computational modeling, we found that ICaf
possesses an appropriate polarity, indicating no difficulties in pene­
trating the cell membrane and thus ensuring uncompromised bioavail­
ability (Severino et al., 2022). Additionally, it is important to mention
that the absorption of a substance is determined by several physico­
chemical properties that also involve the size of the molecule. Thus, the
diffusion gradient is determined by a concentration gradient, where the
movement occurs from a region of high concentration to one of low
concentration. In this sense, the drug was also suitable, since it was able
to penetrate membranes. As seen in the literature, smaller molecules are
prone to penetrate through membranes much faster than those of larger
size (Jain, 2020).
According to the obtained computational model, ICaf has adequate
flexibility and is within the optimal limits to be considered a pharma­
cological drug. These characteristics have been extensively explored in
biochemical systems, since they are associated with processes, such as
molecular recognition and catalytic activity (Stanzione et al., 2021).
Studies describe that the factors related to the flexibility of molecules
and the distribution of polar groups are good predictors of oral
Fig. 1. Molecular structure of isopentyl caffeate, (E)-isopentyl 3-(3,4-dihy­
droxyphenyl) acrylate. bioavailability. In addition, drugs must meet the criteria of ten or fewer
rotational bonds and polar surface area ≤ 140 Å2 for a high probability
of appropriate oral bioavailability, in mouse experiments, regardless the
molecular weight (Maliar et al., 2023).
The saturation is an important requirement for organic molecules,
because the presence of unsaturated bonds in the molecule can mean the
possibility of reactions taking place (Pedersen-Bjergaard et al., 2019).
In the study by Melo et al. (2022), isopropyl gallate showed
acceptable in silico pharmacokinetic parameters, with the ADMET re­
sults showing appropriate lipophilicity to ensure a good oral bioavail­
ability. The in vitro analysis demonstrated that the compound could
reduce the infectivity in parasitized macrophages, attributed to the
activation of macrophage pathways, followed by inhibition of Leish­
mania major (Melo et al., 2022).
In silico pharmacokinetic properties were also used by Santos et al.
(2023), who synthesized and characterized a range of thio­
semicarbazones and thiazoles, showing their appropriate oral bioavail­
ability and permeability, according to Lipinski’s rules. The in vitro
antiparasitic activity of such compounds confirmed their potential
against different forms of T. cruzi and L. amazonensis (Santos et al.,
2023).
In silico analysis carried out using SwissADME tools also showed that
the physicochemical properties and bioavailability of amentoflavone
favour the use of this biflavonoid for oral administration. Based on this
Fig. 2. Bioavailability radar of isopentyl caffeate. Gray area stands for the result, an in vitro analysis was carried out in which the compound was
bioavailability limits of the compound, and bold lines refer to the values recommended as a promising candidate for advanced studies to develop
reached by the compound. (Captions: LIPO, lipophilicity; SIZE, molecular size; new drugs against leishmaniasis (Rizk et al., 2022).
POLAR, polarity; INSOL, solubility; INSATU, saturation; FLEX, flexibility). The prediction of ICaf to permeate brain and gut was performed

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W.S. Mota et al. Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

using the BOILED-Egg predictive model (Daina and Zoete, 2016). This Table 1
model performs predictive calculations that allows to estimate the Calculated physicochemical properties of ICaf.
ability of molecules to cross physiological barriers. The evaluation is of Physicochemical Properties
utmost importance, because these are among the most relevant phar­
Formula C14H18O4
macokinetic parameters for drugs. These predictions are made from Molecular Weight 250.29 g/mol
correlation calculations between polar surface area (PSA) and partition N◦ . of heavy atoms 18
coefficient (LogP) values, which are compared to a database of hundreds N◦ . of heavy aromatic atoms 6
of molecules already investigated. Thus, according to this predictive Fraction Csp3 0.36
N◦ . Revolving connections 6
model, i.e. the position of the drug (×) within both radars, ICaf was Number of H-bond donors 2
shown to have adequate absorption characteristics through the gastro­ Number of H-bond acceptors 4
intestinal tract (__, continuous line) and permeation capacity through Molar refractivity 70.71
blood–brain barrier (BBB) (—, discontinuous line) (Fig. 3). This result TPSA 66.76 Å2
Log Po/w (WLOGP) 2.59
complements those observed in the bioavailability radar of ICaf (Fig. 2),
but sheds light on the possible central impacts that ICaf would bring,
since the treatment of leishmaniasis is systemic and/or topical.
Table 1 shows the calculated physicochemical properties of ICaf. Table 2
When observing the ADME properties, ICaf was shown to be hydro­ Calculated pharmacokinetic parameters of ICaf.
phobic (WLOGP = 2.59), poorly water-soluble, and of high molecular Pharmacokinetic Properties
weight, which may compromise its biological capacity, suggesting the Gastrointestinal Absorption High
need for complexation with another molecule. This approach was BBB Permeant Yes
described Marques et al. (2020), when proposing the development of an Substrate P-gp No
inclusion complex between ICaf and β-cyclodextrin to increase the sol­ Inhibitor CYP1A2 Yes
Inhibitor CYP2C19 No
ubility and bioavailability of the compound.
Inhibitor CYP2C9 No
Regarding the pharmacokinetic characteristics (Table 2), ICaf Inhibitor CYP2D6 No
showed high gastrointestinal absorption and BBB permeation capacity. Inhibitor CYP3A4 No
Brain bioaccumulation capacity identified by assessing the potential Log Kp (skin permeation) − 5.01 cm/s
substrate for P-gp was also observed. P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is an
important transporter that influences how drugs penetrate the brain. To
Besides the evaluation of these properties, analysis regarding the
act effectively in the CNS, a drug needs to cross the brain capillary
interaction of ICaf with liver enzymes, mainly, the isoforms of the cy­
endothelial cells (BCEC) composing the BBB. P-gp is a well-known efflux
tochrome P-450 oxidase enzyme, CYP, which are responsible for
transporter of the BBB; it has the function of precisely regulating drug
metabolizing xenobiotics (Manikandan and Nagini, 2018), was also
membrane permeability between blood and brain by BCEC, astrocytes
performed. Among the five evaluated isoforms, ICaf showed inhibitory
and pericytes, since it maintains a low concentration of unbound mol­
action only for CYP1A2. The CYP1A2 enzymes play an important role in
ecules in the brain compared to plasma (Watanabe et al., 2021).
the oxidative metabolism of 90 % of the active ingredients of drugs in
Generally, the ability of a substance to cross BBB depends on several
clinical use. The inhibitory action on CYP1A2 can determine an increase
factors, including the molecular size, electrical charge, lipophilicity,
in plasma concentration and a reduction in its metabolites, and influence
among others, requirements that enabled ICaf to cross BBB, as confirmed
the clinical outcome and pharmacological effects (Gunes and Dahl,
by the data shown in Table 1 and Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 3. Prediction of the brain and intestinal permeability of isopentyl caffeate using the BOILED-Egg predictive model. Caption: (×) isopentyl caffeate, (__) human
intestinal absorption (HIA) and ( − − − ) blood–brain barrier (BBB).

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W.S. Mota et al. Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

2008). In other words, when an enzyme is inhibited by a specific com­ of blisters. The membrane is known to maintain the integrity of the cell,
pound, there is a modification in the biotransformation conditions, and any damage of this structure can result in intracellular imbalance
leading to interactions that can either potentiate or inactivate the drug. and impact the survival of the parasite. Similarly, in our previous study,
Overall, the results observed in the present study corroborate the ICaf induced several severe morphological alterations in Leishmania
assumption that ICaf could be easily metabolized by the liver and cells, including irreversible plasma membrane damage that resulted in
excreted in its biotransformed form, despite this inhibition. Regarding parasite death (Oliveira et al., 2021).
skin permeation capacity (Log Kp), it was shown to be favorable for
topical use (-5.01 cm/s). Penetration through the stratum corneum oc­
curs mainly via two pathways: the intercellular route, where the drug 3.2. In vivo toxicity assay
diffuses around the corneocytes through the intercellular lipid matrix,
and the transcellular route, where the drug crosses the corneocytes and Acute toxicity tests provide valuable insights into the potential acute
the lipid matrix (Phatale et al., 2022). The skin is a barrier to drug toxicity and lethality of a given compound. These tests consist in the
penetration, and the search for molecules with characteristics favoring administration of the compound to an experimental model, followed by
permeation is fundamental, as well as the development of methodolo­ monitoring the model for a period of 14 days post-administration. One
gies that ensure an efficient penetration through the layer. In this sense, notable advantage of these tests is their ability to yield informative re­
for the development of a topical drug, aspects such as the nature and sults while utilizing a reduced number of animals, in contrast to the
concentration of the active ingredients, the excipients and the type of traditional LD50 test (Erhirhie et al., 2018).
system used to transport the drug should be considered. To assess the potential activity of the tested compound in the CNS
Regarding the druglikeness parameters (Table 3), the compound and its impact on animal behavior, an initial behavioral screening was
satisfied all the criteria established by Lipinski’s rule of five, which states conducted. None of the animals displayed any of the assessed parame­
that a substance must present adequate values for 4 parameters (in ters, such as irritability, tremors, convulsions, piloerection, breathing
multiples of 5) to be a good drug: molecular mass less than or equal to abnormalities, or mortality. The hippocratic screening analysis provided
500, Log P greater than or equal to 5, hydrogen bond acceptors less than a comprehensive assessment of the toxicological nature of the admin­
or equal to 10 and hydrogen bond donors less than or equal to 5 (Lip­ istered doses, taking into account the animals’ level of consciousness,
inski, 2004). Furthermore, ICaf has met the principles established by the disposition, reflexes, and CNS-related activities.
Ghose, Veber, Egan, and Muegge models. Ghose’s model defines that the The amount of water (Fig. 4) and feed (Fig. 5) consumed for 14 days
compound should have the LogP value between − 0.4 to 5.6, molecular were also evaluated. For this analysis, the average consumption of both
weight from 160 to 480 Da, and the total number of atoms in the water and feed was performed on days 1–5, 6–9 and 10–14, while the
compound from 20 to 70 (Ghose et al., 1999). Veber’s rule confirms that animals were allocated into four experimental groups (Control; Dose
the compound has rotational bonds less than or equal to 10 and a polar 0.5; Dose 5, 0 and Dose 50). The weight evaluation is amongst the pa­
surface area less than or equal to 140 Å2 (Veber et al., 2002). Muegge’s rameters commonly used in toxicological assessment to inform toxico­
model, on the other hand, states that the compound should have a LogP logical risks of a certain. Statistical analysis (two-way ANOVA) showed
less than or equal to 5, amolecular weight between 200 and 600 Da, the no significant interaction between the factors neither for water
number of hydrogen bond acceptors less than or equal to 10, the number consumed (p > 0.05) (Fig. 4) nor for food consumed (p > 0.05) (Fig. 5).
of hydrogen bond donors less than or equal to 5, the number of rota­ To date, there is limited knowledge regarding the acute toxic effects
tional bonds less than or equal to 15 and the polar surface area less than of ICaf administration. Nevertheless, previous studies investigated the
or equal to 150 Å2 (Muegge, 2003). In case of ICaf, the LogP was found toxicity of caffeic acid derivatives, including isopropyl caffeineate. Lira
to be 2.59, the molecular weight of 250.29 g/mol, with 2 hydrogel bond et al. (2018) explored the in vivo antioxidant potential and toxicity of
donors, 6 the rotational bonds and 66.76 Å2 the polar surface area isopropyl caffeineate in female Balb/c mice. Upon administration of
(Table 1), thus satisfying the criteria of all models (Table 3). 300 mg/kg, the authors observed signs of CNS depression, such as
Egan et al. (2000) used data from the literature of compounds that sedation, loss of atrial reflex, reduced hyperactivity, diminished
are well absorbed and others that are poorly absorbed in humans, and response to touch, as well as constipation and decreased muscle tone. It
built a statistical model for recognizing passive intestinal absorption is important to note that although isopropyl caffeineate differs in po­
patterns. Based on the physical processes involved in membrane tency and efficacy from ICaf, the lowest administered dose in the study
permeability and the interrelationships between the available de­ was six times higher than that of ICaf, while the highest dose was 40
scriptors, the descriptors chosen for inclusion in the model were times greater.
AlogP98 and PSA. These rules enable the prediction of the oral Considering that systemic toxicity often manifests as a reduction in
bioavailability profile for novel substances, which subsequently de­
termines the adequacy of the time and extent of absorption of the active
ingredient at the intended site.
The bioavailability calculation of the compound was greater than 50
%. Thus, the studied compound presented potential for its use as a
pharmacological drug. According to the study by da Silva Bortoleti et al.
(2019), ICaf was able to cause signs of rounding and shrinkage in the
membrane, and loss of membrane integrity as a result of the appearance

Table 3
Calculated parameters of druglikeness of ICaf.
Druglikeness

Lipinski Yes
Ghose Yes
Veber Yes Fig. 4. Water consumption (mL) during 14 days after challenging mice with
Egan Yes ICaf. 1–5: mean consumption on days 1 to 5; 6–9: mean consumption on days 6
Muegge Yes
to 9; 10–14: mean consumption on days 10 to 14. CTR: control group. Dose 0.5:
Bioavailability Score 0.55
0.5 mg/kg of ICaf; Dose 5: 5.0 mg/kg of ICaf. Dose 50: 50 mg/kg of ICaf.

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W.S. Mota et al. Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

morphological and functional disorders in the liver, such as hyperplasia

of Kupfer cells, formation of granulomas in the portal region, fibrosis
and hepatitis.
The blood of the animals was also collected to investigate toxico­
logical biomarkers. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed
between untreated and ICaf-treated animals regarding the evaluated
biochemical parameters studied, including glucose, urea, creatinine,
alkaline phosphatase, AST and ALT levels (Fig. 7).
Using isopropyl caffeate ester, Lira et al. (2018) reported lower levels
of AST and ALT when comparing the untreated control animals with
those given 300 and 2000 mg/kg. In addition, urea levels decreased at
the dose of 300 mg/kg, which justifies the high dosage. According to the
observed physiological effects, such as the hippocratic screening and
weight data, ICaf did not show high toxicity (corroborating the in silico
data) and also demonstrated possible renal and hepatic protection.
Based on the results of this study, it is clear that acute administration of
Fig. 5. Food consumption (grams; g) during 14 days after challenging mice
ICaf at doses of 0.5, 5.0, and 50 mg/kg did not induce any observable
with ICaf. 1–5: mean consumption on days 1 to 5; 6–9: mean consumption on
days 6 to 9; 10–14: mean consumption on days 10 to 14. CTR: control group. toxicity in the animals, which is a promising indication for the potential
Dose 0.5: 0.5 mg/kg of ICaf; Dose 5: 5.0 mg/kg of ICaf. Dose 50: 50 mg/kg use of the low dose.
of ICaf.
3.3. Icaf treatment controls in vivo lesion growth and parasite load
the evaluated parameters, it is noteworthy that no alterations were
observed in the analysis. Therefore, the results of our study indicate that While Swiss mice (Mus musculus) were used for toxicity analysis,
the acute administration of ICaf at doses of 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/kg did not female mice (Mus musculus/C57BL/6; BALB/c) were selected to evaluate
induce toxicity in the animals based on these parameters. The animal the effect of ICaf treatment of L. amazonensis-infected animals. These
organs (heart, lungs, spleen, liver, and kidneys) were subsequently differences are not relevant for the objectives of the present study and by
collected and further analyzed. These organs are frequently susceptible including both sexes in the studies, the results may be applicable to
to metabolic reactions caused by toxic agents (Roy et al., 2015). How­ different population groups. As presented in Fig. 8, the control groups
ever, the histological analysis revealed no tissue alterations associated comprised female mice treated intraperitoneally with vehicle control
with the administration of any of the doses of ICaf (Fig. 6). group (PBS with 10 % DMSO and 0.1 % Tween 80) or treated with 30 or
It is worth mentioning that these selected organs (heart, lungs, 60 mg/kg for 15 days. In the treatment using 60 mg/kg, we observed a
spleen, liver, and kidneys) were chosen because they also present al­ reduction of lesion size (Fig. 8A) and a 95.5 % reduction in the parasite
terations in case of Leishmania infections. For example, the spleen is an load at the site of infection (Fig. 8B). However, no difference was
initial site where the specific immune response against the leishmaniasis observed when used 30 mg/kg (Fig. 8A, 8B). No differences were also
parasite occurs, besides being involved in systemic inflammation, observed in both treatments in the parasite load of draining lymph nodes
increasing its size (Poulaki et al., 2021). Leishmaniasis auses (Fig. 8C). In addition, the mice treated with 60 mg/kg also showed a
reduction in parasite loads in the spleen (Fig. 8D) compared to infected

Fig. 6. Histological analysis of key organs after challenged of mice with ICaf. CTR: control group. ICaf 0.5: 0.5 mg/kg of ICaf. ICaf 5: 5 mg/kg ICaf. ICaf 50: 50 mg/kg
of ICaf.

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W.S. Mota et al. Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

Fig. 7. Biochemical profile in untreated and ICaf-treated mice. The blood was collected on days 2 and 14, and the samples were analyzed to measure the following
parameters: urea, creatinine, AST, ALT, glucose and alkaline phosphatase. Non-treated animals (control; CTR) and animals treated with different ICaf concentrations
(0.5, 5.0 and 50 mg/kg) were evaluated. Dashed in red represents the reference values used. (For interpretation of the references to colour in this figure legend, the
reader is referred to the web version of this article.)

mice treated with a vehicle; the group treated with 30 mg/kg also intradermic route. Seventeen days after infection, the animals were
showed a difference in the parasite load in the spleen, with a reduction treated with ICaf with 30 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg intraperitoneally with
of 98.87 % (Fig. 8D), demonstrating that at this concentration there was fifteen doses. Mean values of the enzyme markers of hepatocellular
already an impediment in the visceralization. These results indicate that damage (ALT and AST) in the control group that received the vehicle
ICaf at 60 mg/kg controls lesion growth and parasite load in the paw and (PBS with 10 % DMSO and 0.1 % Tween 80) were 17.2 U/L (ALT) and
spleen, without showing toxicity as documented in the supplementary 37.6 U/L (AST), while the groups treated with 30 mg/kg showed similar
material. BALB/c mice were infected on the right paw with 2 × 106 values of 13.2 U/L (ALT) and of 28.9 U/L (AST). The groups treated with
stationary-phase L. amazonensis promastigotes (Josefa strain) by 60 mg/kg also showed similar values of 11.8 U/L (ALT) and 27.3 U/L

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W.S. Mota et al. Current Research in Biotechnology 7 (2024) 100209

Fig. 8. In vivo effect of ICaf. BALB/c mice were infected in the right paw with 2 × 106 stationary-phase L. amazonensis promastigotes (Josefa strain) by intradermic
route. Seventeen days after infection, the animals were treated with ICaf with 30 mg/kg or 60 mg/kg intraperitoneally with fifteen doses (15 days). (A) Lesion size
(mm) were measured once weekly; control group received vehicle (PBS with 10 % DMSO and 0.1 % Tween 80) or treated with 30 or 60 mg/kg/day. (B) Parasite load
were determined by LDA at footpad. (C, D) Draining lymph node and spleen. Statistical difference between means values were evaluated by One-way ANOVA with
Tukey post-test (N = 4–5 mice per group).

(AST), which suggest the absence of ICaf-induced liver toxicity (Sup­ properties of ICaf for the treatment of L. amazonensis. Evaluation of in
plementary Material S1 and S2). vivo toxicity in mice showed no adverse effects on multiple parameters
Intraperitoneal administration was chosen in studies involving in­ over a 14-day period. In silico analysis indicated favorable pharmaco­
duction of infections or administration of infectious agents because it kinetic characteristics and bioavailability for ICaf. Intraperitoneal
allows effective distribution of the infectious agent into the peritoneal treatment with ICaf showed a reduction in lesion size and parasite
cavity. Intraperitoneal administration ensures rapid absorption of the burden. Therefore, ICaf can be considered a potential alternative treat­
substance directly into the bloodstream, which is an advantageous ment against L. amazonensis, offering promising pharmacological per­
method for quickly achieving effective therapeutic levels. We could spectives for the treatment of this disease.
demonstrate through experimental studies, that intraperitoneal admin­
istration ensures effective treatment delivery in animal models that
mimic the conditions of leishmaniasis. Collectively, our results suggest Declaration of competing interest
that ICaf has potential therapeutic effects against L. amazonensis infec­
tion. However, further studies are required to disclose the underlying The authors declare that they have no known competing financial
mechanisms and assess the long-term safety and efficacy of this interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence
treatment. the work reported in this paper.
A study by Rottini et al. (2015) confirmed the antileishmanial ac­
tivity of (-)α-bisabolol against L. amazonensis, reporting that this drug Data availability
was capable of inhibiting the growth of promastigotes by 50 % at a
concentration of 8.07 µg/mL (IC50). When tested against amastigote Data will be made available on request.
forms, (-)α-bisabolol inhibited growth IC50 was reduced down to 4.15
μg/mL. These results show that the promastigotes were more sensitive to Acknowledgments
treatment with ICaf when compared to (-)α-bisabolol.
The authors acknowledge Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de
4. Conclusions Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do
Estado de Sergipe (FAPITEC), Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento
Leishmaniasis is a neglected parasitic disease associated with high Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq, 304590/2022-3), and FCT—Fundação
toxicity, cost and parasitic resistance when treated with currently para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P., Lisboa. Matheus M. Pereira ac­
available pharmacological options. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledges the financial support of FCT, Portugal, within the projects
DOI: 10.54499/UIDB/00102/2020 (Base funding) and DOI: 10.54499/

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UIDP/00102/2020 (Programmatic funding). Marques, C.S., Barreto, N.S., Oliveira, S.S.d., Santos, A.L., Branquinha, M.H., Sousa, D.P.
d., Castro, M., Andrade, L.N., Pereira, M.M., Silva, C.F.d., 2020. β-cyclodextrin/
isopentyl caffeate inclusion complex: Synthesis, characterization and antileishmanial
Appendix A. Supplementary data activity. Molecules 25 (18), 4181.
Melo, D.S., Nery Neto, J.A.O., Santos, M.S.D., Pimentel, V.D., Carvalho, R.C.V., Sousa, V.
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Carvalho, F.A.A., 2022. Isopropyl gallate, a gallic acid derivative. In silico and in
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