Antichagasic Activity of Komaroviquinone Is Due to Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species Catalyzed by Trypanosoma cruziOld Yellow Enzyme

ABSTRACTA novel potent trypanocidal diterpene, komaroviquinone, was reduced by Trypanosoma cruziold yellow enzyme (TcOYE) to its semiquinone radical. The reductase activity in trypanosome lysates was completely immunoabsorbed by anti-TcOYE antibody. Since TcOYE is expressed throughout the T. cruzilife cycle, komaroviquinone is an interesting candidate for developing new antichagasic drugs.