ACUTE EXPOSURE EFFECTS OF TRIVALENT SODIUM ANTIMONIATE AND PENTAVALENT SODIUM ANTIMONIATE ON ISOLATED MITOCHONDRIA FROM HEART OF MICE.

Pentavalent sodium antimoniate (Sb(V)) has been one of the main drugs used in the treatment of leishmaniasis for over 50 years. Sb(V) is a prodrug that needs to be activated by converting it to the trivalent form (trivalent antimoniate, Sb(III)). Sb(V) is metabolically converted in the intramacrophagic medium to Sb(III) showing leishmanicidal function. After its conversion, Sb(III) interferes in the process of beta-oxidation of fatty acids and glycolysis, impairing the energy metabolism of the parasite. However, the effect of antimoniates on host mitochondria is unknown.