Arrabidaea chica Hexanic Extract Induces Mitochondrion Damage and Peptidase Inhibition on Leishmania spp.
Figure 2
Transmission electron microscopy of L. infantum promastigotes treated with the B2 fraction from the A. chica hexanic extract. ((a)-(b)) Thin sections of untreated promastigote forms displaying normal morphology and intracellular structures. (b) Detail of the mitochondrion containing the kinetoplast (k). ((c)–(h)) Parasites treated for 24 hours with subMIC (9.3 μg/mL) or MIC (18.6 μg/mL) of the B2 fraction, showing serious cellular damage. (c) Parasite treated with subMIC value of the B2 fraction presenting a dilated flagellar pocket with the presence of several vacuoles (). Note the rupture of the mitochondrion membrane (arrowhead in (c)). (d) Parasite treated with the B2 fraction at MIC value (18.6 μg/mL) presenting mitochondrial swelling and some vesicles (★) inside this organelle; (details of intramitochondrial vesicles in (e) and (f)); (g) in detail, parasite flagellar pocket showing intense release of vesicles with cytoplasmic content (); (h) in detail, increased mitochondrial volume and Golgi complex alterations. n, nucleous; m, mitochondrion; k, kinetoplast; f, flagellum; fp, flagellar pocket; G, Golgi complex; L, lipid.
