Phototoxic effect of aluminium-chlorine and aluminium-hydroxide phthalocyanines on Leishmania (L) amazonensis

This study investigated the activity of photosensitive phthalocyanines on promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis. Aluminum phthalocyanine chloride (A1PcC1), Aluminum phthalocyanine hydroxide (AIPcOH) and zinc phthalocyanine (PcZn) were tested in the presence (matte red LED, potency of 2.5-2.3 mu W for 30 min) and absence of light against L. amazonensis promastigotes and the parasite viability was evaluated after 24, 48 and 72 h. The amastigote forms were treated with AlPeCl and AIPcOH, following the same lighting protocols described for the promastigote forms, being evaluated after 24 h. Cytotoxicity to human erythrocytes and peritoneal macrophages was also evaluated. The results showed that AlPcCl and AIPcOH in the presence of light have antileishmania activity, with leishmanistatic effects on promastigotes and amastigotes of L. amazonensis, without causing cytotoxicity to peritoneal macrophages and erythrocytes. The concentrations that inhibited 50% of the promastigote forms after 24 h of light exposure were 0.21 +/- 0.08 mu M for AIPcC1 and 0.23 +/- 0.06 mu M for AIPcOH. In 48 h and 72 h after the treatment, the IC50 of AlPcCI was 0.13 +/- 0.02 and 0.12 +/- 0.03 mu M and for AIPcOH was 0.14 +/- 0.01 mu M and 0.11 +/- 0.01 mu M, respectively. PcZn showed no activity on promastigotes of L. amazonensis. This study showed a substantial photodynamic activity of the phthalocyanines AlPcCl and AlPcOH against intracellular amastigotes forms of L. amazonensis after irradiation, presenting IC50 values of 0.62 +/- 0.06 mu M and 0.92 +/- 0.12 mu M, respectively. These results support the possibility of using photodynamic therapy for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.