ABSTRACT
Recent circumstantial evidences are suggesting that an increasing number of Iranian patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis are unresponsive to meglumine antimoniate [Glucantime]. Pistacia atlantica is native plant in Iran [central, western, and eastern regions]. Gum obtained Pistacia atlantica has been reported to possess considerable in vitro antimicrobial activity. In this study, we aimed to investigate antileishmanial activity of P. atlantica. Male BALB/c mice were inoculated subcutaneously 2x10[6] L. major Promastigotes [MHROM/IR/75/ER] at the base of tail in 2007. Mice were randomly divided into 3 groups, in group 1 Glucantime was administered to the BALB/c mice in regimen of 60 mg per kg of body weight for 28 days by intraperitoneal injections per day, in group 2 the gum of P. atlantica var. Kurdica were tested by rubbing of local lesions for 28 days, group 3 infected but non-treated. Comparisons of treated groups and untreated group were done by two-way analysis of variance [ANOVA] Topically rubbing administration of gum obtained P. atlantica var. kurdica daily for 28 days like Glucantime decreased skin lesion size in the BALB/c mice infected with L.major compared with that in the control [P< 0.01]. Treatment BALB/c mice with gum obtained P. atlantica var. kurdica and Glucantime causes decrease number of parasitologicaly positive mice [P< 0.05]. Our results show that gum obtained P. atlantica var. kurdica can be used for controlling cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L.major and inhibiting development of cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions