Effects of Trifluralin on <i>Trypanosoma cruzii in vitro and in vivo</i>

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi is the aetiologic agent of Chagas disease that affects approximately 24 million people from Southern California to Argentina and Chile (Schofield 1985) and after malaria, is the most prevalent vector-borne illness in Latin America. Current chemotherapy for short-term treatment includes nitrofurans (nifurtimox) and nitroimidazols (benznidazole) which are not recommended for chronic infections because of their limited effectiveness and serious drug-related side effects (Andrade et al. 1989; Maguirre 1990). For this reason new compounds are urgently needed.