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The in vitro trypanocidal activity of a 1 : 4 mixture of lupenone and caryophyllene oxide confirmed a synergistic effect of the terpenoids against epimastigotes forms of T. cruzi (IC50 = 10.4  μ g/mL, FIC = 0.46). In addition, testing of the terpenoid mixture for its capacity to reduce the number of amastigote nests in cardiac tissue and skeletal muscle of infected mice showed a reduction of more than 80% at a dose level of 20.8 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1).

The bioassay-guided phytochemical investigation of the leaf extract of Serjania yucatanensis, a woody climbing plant endemic to the Yucatan peninsula, led to the identification of a mixture of a triterpene [lup-20(29)-en-3-one] and an oxygenated sesquiterpene (β-caryophyllene oxide), as that responsible for the originally detected trypanocidal activity in the organic crude extract. Results showed that the mixture of lup-20(29)-en-3-one and β-caryophyllene oxide is active against trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi (IC(50) =80.3 μg/mL) and inhibits the egress of trypomastigotes from infected Vero cells (when tested at 100 μg/mL) without being cytotoxic.

Ethanol extracts of Senna villosa, Serjania yucatanensis, Byrsonima bucidaefolia, and Bourreria pulchra were evaluated for their in vitro activity against epimastigotes and trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. Results showed that the leaf extracts of S. yucatanensis and B. pulchra were the most active against epimastigotes (IC(100) = 100 μg/mL) and trypomastigotes of T. cruzi (95% or more reduction in the number of parasites at 100 and 50 μg/mL). However, only the leaf extract of S. yucatanensis showed significant trypanocidal activity when tested in vivo, reducing 75% of the parasitemia in infected mice at 100 mg/kg. This same extract inhibited the egress of trypomastigotes from infected cells and proved not to be cytotoxic (IC(50) = 318.8 ± 2.3 μg/mL).