Synthesis, characterization and antichagasic evaluation of thiosemicarbazones prepared from chalcones and dibenzalacetones

•Thiosemicarbazones derived from chalcones and dibenzalcetones were synthetized and evaluated against Chagas’ disease.•Thiosemicarbazones were active against the intracellular amastigote form of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi.•A thiosemicarbazone derivative having a chlorine atom at the para position showed a IC50 = 12.25 µM when compared with the standard drug benznidazole (IC50 = 5.64 µM).