Figure 3.

Inhibition of T. cruzi amastigotes replication by estafietin (1) and estafietin derivatives (2–5). Mammalian cells (5 × 10³ cells/well) were seeded in 96-well plates and infected 24 h later with transfected trypomastigotes expressing β-galactosidase. After 24 h of co-culture, plates were washed and compounds were added at 0–100 µg/mL in 150 µL medium. On day 6 post-infection, the assays were developed by the addition of CPRG (100 mM) and Nonidet P-40 (1%). Plates were incubated for 6 h and the optical density was read at 570 nm. Infected untreated mammalian cells were used as 100% infection control. The percentage of inhibition was calculated as 100 − {[(Absorbance of treated infected cells)/(Absorbance of untreated infected cells)] × 100}. Symbols represent mean ± SEM. Each treatment was compared to controls: parasites incubated with culture medium only. * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01 and *** p < 0.005.