Figure 1. Antiproliferative and trypanocidal effects of SBIs in T. cruzi.

(A and B) Growth curves of cultured epimastigotes exposed to various concentrations of lovastatin (A) or ketoconazole (B). The dose-response curve and respective EC₅₀/72 h values are shown in the box. (C and D) Recovery experiments: epimastigote cultures were exposed to 100 µM lovastatin (C) or 120 µM ketoconazole (D). The drug was then removed by successive washes, after short periods of time (specified in the graph). The subsequent growth of the parasites was followed for three days, by counting, in a Neubauer chamber. (E) Percentage of dead cells (spheroid) as a function of time exposed to 120 µM ketoconazole or 100 µM lovastatin. (F) Stained smears of parasites exposed to SBIs at the EC₁₀₀/24 h for 12 hours, showing the spheroid shape of the cells; the scale bars indicate 10 µm. For all graphs, each experimental point corresponds to the mean and standard deviation for cell density obtained by direct counting in a Neubauer chamber.