Synthesis and antileishmanial activities of 4,5-di-substituted acridines as compared to their 4-mono-substituted homologues

Newly synthesized 4,5-di-substituted acridines were assessed for in vitro antileishmanial activities as compared to those of their 4-mono-substituted homologues. Mono-substituted acridines exhibited a weak specificity for Leishmania parasites. Di-substituted acridines, on the contrary, displayed interesting amastigote-specific activities through a mechanism of action that might not involve intercalation to DNA. This antileishmanial property, associated with a low antiproliferative activity towards human cells, led to the identification of a new class of promising acridine derivatives such as 4,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)acridine with a nonclassical mechanism of action based on the inhibition of Leishmania internalization within macrophages. In the meantime, the effects of experimental lighting on the biological properties of acridines were assessed: experimental lighting did not significantly improve the antileishmanial activity of the compounds since it produced a greater toxicity against human cells.