Lychnopholide in Poly( d , l -Lactide)- Block -Polyethylene Glycol Nanocapsules Cures Infection with a Drug-Resistant Trypanosoma cruzi Strain at Acute and Chronic Phases

Abstract

Chagas disease remains neglected, and current chemotherapeutics present severe limitations. Lychnopholide (LYC) at low doses loaded in polymeric poly( d , l -lactide)- block -polyethylene glycol (PLA-PEG) nanocapsules (LYC-PLA-PEG-NC) exhibits anti- Trypanosoma cruzi efficacy in mice infected with a partially drug-resistant strain. This study reports the efficacy of LYC-PLA-PEG-NC at higher doses in mice infected with a T. cruzi strain resistant to benznidazole (BZ) and nifurtimox (NF) treated at both the acute phase (AP) and the chronic phase (CP) of infection by the oral route.