Fig. 4From: A lupane-triterpene isolated from Combretum leprosum Mart. fruit extracts that interferes with the intracellular development of Leishmania (L.) amazonensis in vitroEffect of lupane on the ultrastructure of intracellular amastigotes of L. (L.) amazonensis. (a-b) control cells, in B a dividing protozoa. (c) Lupane treatment (109 μM) for 48 h promoted cytosolic extraction in P1, followed by complete parasite destruction (P3). (d) Inset of P2 in Fig. c to observe membrane profiles (arrows) in the flagellar pocket region. (e) Membrane shedding (arrows), lipid vacuoles (LV) and the nucleus exhibiting a less compact chromatin (arrowhead). (f) A destroyed parasite inside a cytosolic vacuole. Note mitochondrial swelling with enlarged cristae (M). Arrows indicate subpellicullar microtubules; F – flagellum; FP – flagellar pocket; K – kinetoplast; M – parasite mitochondria; MN – macrophage nucleus; N – parasite nucleus; P1, P2 and P3 – intracellular amastigotes; VP – vacuole parasitophorous. Bars = 0.5 μmBack to article page