In vivo protection against chagasic cardiomyopathy progression using trypanocidal fractions from Lippia alba (Verbenaceae) essential oils

•A successfully model of chronic Chagas disease was induced in rats.•An oral therapy was developed from fractions of Lippia alba essential oils.•Echocardiographycal and histopathological test confirmed a cardioprotective effect.•The therapy showed a trypanocidal action similar to Benznidazole by qPCR analysis.•The treatment scheme was apparently non-toxic by clinical and pathological test. The present study reports the trypanocidal and cardioprotective properties of fractions derived from Lippia alba (Verbenaceae family) essential oils (EOs), in a murine model of chronic Chagas disease (ChD). This infection represents one of the most serious public health problems in Latin American countries, without an effective therapy for chronic infection and its eventual cardiac complications. In the model established herein, the therapeutic scheme which involved 30 oral and daily doses of OxiLim (a mix composed by fractions enriched in citral, caryophyllene oxide, and limonene) was not toxic and exhibited trypanocidal activity comparable to benznidazole (assessed by parasitic DNA quantification - qPCR); but with an additional protective effects against cardiomyopathy progression. This last finding was confirmed by both echocardiography (reduction in the maximum diameter of the cardiac silhouette), and heart histopathology (tissue recovery, abundant fibroblasts, and mild separation of cardiac fibers). Conversely, rats treated only with benznidazole showed a significant increase in cardiac diameter with severe fiber dilation, angiogenesis, and high diversity of immune infiltrate. This research reports a highly trypanocidal (similar to benznidazole) therapeutic scheme based on L. alba essential oil fractions (OxiLim), which also exhibits a positive cardioprotective effect in the course of chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy, in rats.