Ultrastructural alterations and peroxide formation induced by naphthoquinones in different stages ofTrypanosoma cruzi

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Abstract
Addition of β-lapachone, ano-naphthoquinone with bactericidal, cytotoxic, and trypanocidal activities, toTrypanosoma cruzi epimastigote and amastigote stages induced the release of O 2 − and H2O2 from the whole cells into the suspending medium. In the presence of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as reductant β-lapachone was also able to stimulate O 2 − and H2O2 production by homogenates of these stages. Electron micrographs showed that in β-lapachone-treated amastigotes and trypomastigotes, the chromatin is arranged in patches, clearly differing from the normal pattern of chromatin distribution. Alterations of the nuclear, mitochondrial, and cytoplasmic membranes, as well as swelling of the mitochondrion were also observed.