Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jul 6;13(7):1648.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13071648.

Sialic Acid and Colchicine Functionalized Silica Nanoparticles: A Novel Approach to Leishmanicidal Selective Treatments

Adan Jesus Galue-Parra  1   2 , Sandra Jimenez-Falcao  3   4 , Esther Arribas-Yuste  3 , Clotilde Marin  1 , Jose Manuel Mendez-Arriaga  3
Affiliations

Sialic Acid and Colchicine Functionalized Silica Nanoparticles: A Novel Approach to Leishmanicidal Selective Treatments

Adan Jesus Galue-Parra et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Leishmaniasis remains a neglected tropical disease, with nearly one million new cases annually and limited investment in research. Current treatments, primarily based on pentavalent antimonials, are associated with severe side effects and increasing resistance. This study aims to develop a novel therapeutic strategy using a nanomaterial functionalized with sialic acid (SA) and colchicine (COL) to selectively target Leishmania braziliensis parasites. Methods: A nanostructured system was engineered by functionalizing its surface with SA and COL. SA was chosen to mimic host cell surfaces, enhancing parasite attraction, while COL was selected for its known leishmanicidal properties. The nanomaterial was designed to concentrate extracellular parasites on its surface via SA-mediated interactions, thereby increasing local COL efficacy. Results: The functionalized nanomaterial demonstrated a dual mechanism: SA facilitated the selective accumulation of Leishmania braziliensis parasites on the nanostructure surface, while COL exerted a cytotoxic effect. This synergistic interaction resulted in enhanced parasite mortality in vitro, suggesting improved selectivity and potency compared to conventional treatments. Conclusions: The proposed nanomaterial offers a promising alternative for leishmaniasis treatment by combining targeted parasite attraction with localized drug delivery. This strategy may reduce systemic toxicity and improve therapeutic outcomes.

Keywords: colchicine; drug delivery; leishmania; nanoparticle; neglected diseases; parasite; sialic acid.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Scheme 1
Scheme 1
Sialic acid structure.
Scheme 2
Scheme 2
Colchicine structure.
Figure 1
Figure 1
Transmission electron microscopy of MCM-41 MSNs used (left) and mean diameter size distribution of MSNs (right).
Figure 2
Figure 2
N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms of MSN (orange) and MSN-SA-COL (green).
Figure 3
Figure 3
IR spectra of MSN (orange), MSN-SA (blue), and MSN-SA-COL (green).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Solid UV–visible spectra of MSN (orange), MSN-SA (blue), and MSN-SA-COL (green).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Thermogravimetry curves of MSN (orange), MSN-SA (blue), and MSN-SA-COL (green).
Figure 6
Figure 6
Kinetic release profile in PBS of colchicine (COL) from MSN-AS-COL nanomaterial at 244 nm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Oryan A. Plant-Derived Compounds in Treatment of Leishmaniasis. Iran. J. Vet. Res. 2015;16:1–19. doi: 10.22099/ijvr.2015.2917. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Steverding D. The History of Leishmaniasis. Parasites Vectors. 2017;10:82. doi: 10.1186/s13071-017-2028-5. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Croft S.L., Coombs G.H. Leishmaniasis—Current Chemotherapy and Recent Advances in the Search for Novel Drugs. Trends Parasitol. 2003;19:502–508. doi: 10.1016/j.pt.2003.09.008. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Uliana S.R.B., Trinconi C.T., Coelho A.C. Chemotherapy of Leishmaniasis: Present Challenges. Parasitology. 2018;145:464–480. doi: 10.1017/S0031182016002523. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Alpizar-Sosa E.A., Ithnin N.R.B., Wei W., Pountain A.W., Weidt S.K., Donachie A.M., Ritchie R., Dickie E.A., Burchmore R.J.S., Denny P.W., et al. Amphotericin B Resistance in Leishmania mexicana: Alterations to Sterol Metabolism and Oxidative Stress Response. PLoS Negl. Trop. Dis. 2022;16:e0010779. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010779. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources