Lipid Profile and Antileishmanial Activity of Lentinus crinitus Basidiocarp

Leishmaniasis is a disease that affects millions of people and is an important public health problem. The aim of this study was to characterize and evaluate the in vitro activity of lipid fractions from Lentinus crinitus (L.) Fr., Polyporales, basidiocarp against the promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania amazonensis . A lipid crude extract was obtained by maceration, which was then separated into neutral lipids, glycolipids, and phospholipids by column chromatography. The crude extract and fractions were analyzed and quantified by gas chromatography and then evaluated for in vitro antileishmanial activity and cytotoxicity against J774A.1 macrophages. Linoleic, palmitic, and oleic acids were identified as the main components of the crude extract and fractions. The neutral lipids, glycolipids, and lipid crude extract were able to inhibit L. amazonensis growth, with IC 50 values of 56.18 µg/ml with a selectivity index (SI) of 1.06, 96.57 µg/ml (SI, 1.64), and 146.49 µg/ml (SI, 0.82), respectively, for promastigotes, and 22.40 µg/ml (SI, 2.67), 38.63 µg/ml (SI, 1.54), and 77.67 µg/ml (SI, 4.10), respectively, for amastigotes. The data indicated that the L. crinitus basidiocarp is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, being an excellent source of linoleic acid (174.66–838.24 mg/100 g), palmitic acid (48.16–189.78 mg/100 g), and oleic acid (21.85–125.25 mg/100 g). Furthermore, the crude extract and fractions proved to be more active against amastigote forms and more selective towards the parasites than the host cells. These results are the first report of antileishmanial activity of lipid fractions from L. crinitus basidiocarp and provide a significant basis for further investigation into the action of these fractions in the treatment of leishmaniasis. Graphical Abstract