Avaliação da atividade funcional das própolis brasileiras marrom, verde e vermelha e seus compostos isolados na infecção por Toxoplasma gondii em células trofoblásticas humanas

Abstract

Propolis is a natural resinous substance produced by bees and, due to its biological properties, it has been used as an alternative medicine. Recent research has shown that propolis can affect the inflammatory process, decreasing the production of proinflammatory cytokines, being an adjuvant in the control of parasitic diseases, in addition to promoting cell proliferation, migration and viability. The control of T. gondii infection is essential for pregnancy success, so it is necessary to search for new non-toxic therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of congenital toxoplasmosis. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Brazilian brown, green and red propolis on T. gondii infection in extravillous human trophoblastic cells (HTR-8/Svneo). HTR-8/SVneo cells were infected with T. gondii and treated with propolis extracts. The three propolis extracts showed ability to promote the reduction of parasitic intracellular proliferation and impaired the parasite invasion in HTR8/SVneo cells. In addition, the different extracts exhibited an antiparasitic effect in a dosedependent manner. Our results suggest that the raw extracts of brown, green and red propolis interfere with the mechanisms of invasion and intracellular proliferation of the parasite, while not altering the migration process of the extravillous trophoblast.