1. Molecules. 2019 Mar 23;24(6). pii: E1158. doi: 10.3390/molecules24061158.

Evaluation of the Anti-Trypanosomal Activity of Vietnamese Essential Oils, with
Emphasis on Curcuma longa L. and Its Components.

Le TB(1)(2), Beaufay C(3), Nghiem DT(4), Pham TA(5), Mingeot-Leclercq MP(6),
Quetin-Leclercq J(7).

Author information: 
(1)GNOS Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de
Louvain, UCLouvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium. thanh.le@uclouvain.be.
(2)Department of Pharmacognosy, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, 13-15 Le Thanh
Tong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam. thanh.le@uclouvain.be.
(3)GNOS Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de
Louvain, UCLouvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium. claire.beaufay@uclouvain.be.
(4)Department of Botany, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, 13-15 Le Thanh Tong, Hoan 
Kiem, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam. ductrongeb@hup.edu.vn.
(5)Department of Pharmacognosy, Hanoi University of Pharmacy, 13-15 Le Thanh
Tong, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi 100000, Vietnam. tuananhpharm@hup.edu.vn.
(6)TFAR Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de
Louvain, UCLouvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium. marie-paule.mingeot@uclouvain.be.
(7)GNOS Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université catholique de
Louvain, UCLouvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium. joelle.leclercq@uclouvain.be.

Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), known as sleeping sickness and caused by
Trypanosoma brucei, is threatening low-income populations in sub-Saharan African 
countries with 61 million people at risk of infection. In order to discover new
natural products against HAT, thirty-seven Vietnamese essential oils (EOs) were
screened for their activity in vitro on Trypanosoma brucei brucei (Tbb) and
cytotoxicity on mammalian cells (WI38, J774). Based on the selectivity indices
(SIs), the more active and selective EOs were analyzed by gas chromatography. The
anti-trypanosomal activity and cytotoxicity of some major compounds (isolated or 
commercial) were also determined. Our results showed for the first time the
selective anti-trypanosomal effect of four EOs, extracted from three
Zingiberaceae species (Curcuma longa, Curcuma zedoaria, and Zingiber officinale) 
and one Lauraceae species (Litsea cubeba) with IC50 values of 3.17 ± 0.72, 2.51 ±
1.08, 3.10 ± 0.08, and 2.67 ± 1.12 nL/mL respectively and SI > 10. Identified
compounds accounted for more than 85% for each of them. Among the five major
components of Curcuma longa EO, curlone is the most promising anti-trypanosomal
candidate with an IC50 of 1.38 ± 0.45 µg/mL and SIs of 31.7 and 18.2 compared to 
WI38 and J774 respectively.

DOI: 10.3390/molecules24061158 
PMCID: PMC6471621
PMID: 30909559  [Indexed for MEDLINE]