Antileishmanial and Immunomodulatory Effect of Babassu-Loaded PLGA Microparticles: A Useful Drug Target to Leishmania amazonensis Infection

Figure 5

Microparticles loaded with babassu mesocarp (MMP) reduced the amastigotes in infected macrophages. The number of amastigotes in infected macrophages (a), infection index (b), and percentage of infected cells (c) in cultures treated with MMP were compared to those treated with the unloaded microparticles (CMP) or pentamidine (Penta). Results are the mean ± standard deviation of individual samples tested in quintuplicate. () p<0.05 compared to the untreated and CMP groups. The light microscopy photomicrographs show uninfected macrophages (d), untreated infected macrophages (e), and infected macrophages treated with unloaded microparticles [CMP] (f), pentamidine [Penta, 5 μg/mL] (g), aqueous extract of babassu mesocarp [Meso, 100 μg/mL] (h), or babassu-loaded microparticles [MMP, 100 μg/mL] (i).

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