*3.5. Trypanocidal Effect*

*T. cruzi* DNA quantification (qPCR) analysis demonstrated that animals from the negative and positive control groups exhibited 0% (Ct ≥ 32) and 100% positivity (Ct < 32), respectively; while the applied therapies demonstrated a range of trypanocidal effectivity ranging from 66% (LIMOXBNZ) to 83% (LIMOX and BNZ) (Table 4).

**Table 4.** Quantification of parasite DNA by real-time PCR of heart tissue from Wistar rats infected with *Trypanosoma cruzi* and treated with 31 continuous once-daily oral doses.


Negative: untreated, uninfected animals; Positive: untreated, infected animals; LIMOX: infected animals treated with an essential oil fraction of *Lippia alba* carvone chemotype (enriched in limonene) (68.9 mg/kg/day) with added caryophyllene oxide (Sigma-Aldrich) (70 mg/kg/day); LIMOXBNZ: infected animals treated with LIMOX plus benznidazole (7.9 mg/kg/day); BNZ: infected animals treated with benznidazole (100 mg/kg/day). \* Positive result with Ct value > 32. Data are representative of three independent experiments performed in duplicate and values are expressed as means.
