N-acetyl-l-cysteine reduces the parasitism of BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania amazonensis

Leishmania amazonensis infection leads to progressive diseases in a majority of inbred strains of mice. Glutathione (GSH) participates in a large number of cellular phenomena and seems to be essential for several immune functions, including host defense during leishmaniasis. In this study, we evaluated the effects of N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), as GSH supplement, on the course of L. amazonensis infection in susceptible BALB/c mice. The treatment with NAC (200 mg/kg daily) was effective in raising GSH levels in both lymph node and spleen cells. Although this treatment did not change the footpad swelling development in L. amazonensis-infected mice, it caused a significant decrease in the number of parasites recovered from the footpad lesion and draining popliteal lymph node. Our data suggest that intracellular Leishmania killing in vivo was improved by the augment of GSH levels through NAC administration.