ABSTRACT
Protozoan parasite of genus Leishmania is the causative agent of leishmaniasis in humans, carnivorous animals and rodents. In Iran, Leishmania species are causes of cutaneous leishmaniasis which had been reported frequently from Isfahan. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a compound of Nerium oleander leaf, Ricinus communis oil, Capsicum spp. seeds, and almond on cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania species under laboratory conditions and its effect on the progression of cutaneous lesion in mice. In this repeated experimental study, we obtained smears from the skin lesions of 10 patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis randomly. 3 cases had positive smears [30%] which were cultured in NNN media with 10% FBS to obtain promastigotes of leishmania. The effects of boiled and sieved herbal compound [Nerium oleander leaf, Ricinus communis oil, Capsicum spp. seeds, and almond] on the promastigote propagation in NNN media with 10% FBS [5x10[4]/micro l] were investigated in triplicate and compared with control group. In the 4th week, 0.2 ml of enriched promastigote of Leishmania in RPMI was inoculated in the base of the tails of the mice in the test group [n=6] and control group [n=2]. The effect of herbal compound on the progression of the lesion was investigated for 7 weeks. We used t-test for statistical analysis. The number of Leishmania promastigotes in the group treated with herbal compound was significantly less than that in the control group. Also the herbal compound had significant preventive effect on the progression of the cutaneous lesion in the test group as compared to the control group. The results of this study showed that the herbal compound had preventive effect on the parasite propagation and progression of cutaneous lesion. We recommend furthur studies on other pharmacological aspects of this herbal compound