Antileishmanial activity of Artemisia aucheri, Ferula asa-foetid and Gossypium hirsutum extracts on Leishmania major promastigotes in vitro

Leishmaniasis is a complex disease with a broad spectrum of clinical features, usually divided into cutaneous leishmaniasis [CL], muco-cutaneous leishmaniasis [MCL], and visceral leishmaniasis [VL]. Plant extracts or plant-derived compounds are likely to provide a valuable source of new medicinal agents. In endemic countries, a number of traditional plants are commonly used to treat infectious conditions. Advances in the research of natural products for the treatment of leishmaniasis have been recently reviewed. To evaluate, anti-Leishmanial activity of three plant extracts on Leishmania major promastigotes as compared to a trivalent antimonial compound [tartar emetic], in vitro. promastigote stages of L.major [MRHO/IR/75/ER] were transferred to RPMI-1640 medium, supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum [PCS] and antibiotics then grown at 25 +/- 2°C. The biological activity of plant extracts in comparison to potassium antimonyl tartrate [Sb[lll]] on L.major promastigotes were assessed by using a MTT assay. The optical density [OD] due to cleavage of the tetrazolium salt MTT [3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide] into a colored product formazan by the parasite was measured by ELISA reader. The IC50 values [50% inhibitory concentrations] were determined, accordingly. All experiments were repeated in duplicate plant extracts and tartar emetic inhibited the growth of promastigote forms of L.major in vitro after 72 hour of incubation and drug control had a 50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] of 4.7 pg/ml, and microC50 values of plant extracts Artemisia aucheri, Ferula asa-foetida and Gossypium hirsutum were 7.5, 5.9 and 3.6 microg/ml, respectively. Although Gossypium hirsutum was more effective than others, but all extracts had profound effect on promastigotes of L.major. Plant extracts including Artemisia aucheri, Ferula asa-foetida and Gossypium hirsutum have anti-leishmanial effects in vitro. Further works are required to evaluate the exact effect of these extracts on Leishmania species in animal models

In vitro evaluation the effect of 1, 3, 4, thiadiazole new derivatives against

The main therapeutic compounds available against Leishmaniasis disease is pentavalent antimonyfcg compounds i.e. Glucantime and Pentostam. New antileishmanial compound is needed due to the emerge of drug-resistant leishmania agents in recent years. In the present study the antileishmanial activity of new 1, 3, 4 thiadiazole derivatives were evaluated. Promastigote stages of the parasites were cultured in RPM1-1640 containing 10% FBS, 100 lU/ml penicillin and 100 micro g/ml streptomycin. Mouse peritoneal exudate macrophages [MPEM] isolated from the peritoneal cavity of BALB/c mice were used and the macrophages were counted and the cell suspension was adjusted to 5X10[5] cell/ml. Macrophage monolayers in 8-well chamber slides were infected with stationary phase promastigote, at a 5:1 parasite/cell proportion and incubated at 37°C and 5% CO[2]. Serial dilution of thiadiazole compounds and tartar emetic as the control was added to the slide chambers and parasite survival index [PSI] was measured after 5 days. The Thiazolyl blue reduction [MTT test] was used to determine the antileishmanial effect of the compounds on extra celluto forms of the parasite and after 72 h. The CD's were read by 96-well scanner and IC[50] were calculated. Two thiadiazole compounds showed 6-67% antileishmanial activity in 4.6 micro g/ml concentration against intracellular forms of the parasites and also in MTT assay IC[50] of 3.6 -7.6 micro g/ml was determined. Due to high antileishmanial activity of some compounds, further studies on structure and activity of these compounds and new highly active derivatives is expected

Effect of oxaminquine and tartar emetic on the immune response in schistosoma mansoni infection

The effect of treatment with oxamniquine and tartar emetic on humoral and cell mediated immunity was studied. The study was done on 30 male patients who were presented with hepatosplenic schistosomiasis [stage II], with active intestinal involvement. After oxamniquine, significant reduction in the IgG immunoglobulin level occurred. Also, improvement of both the suppressed number and function of the T-lymphocyte was observed denoting the reversal of the immunosuppressive state usually met with in schistosomiasis. Tartar emetic led to significant reduction of both IgG and IgE immunoglobulin levels, together with slight improvement in the number and function of T-lymphocytes. All the results were discussed and compared with similar work

Comparative toxicological study of some antibilharzial drugs

The data obtained in this work could be summarized as follows: 1. The LD 50 of tartar emetic was 49/kg, it produced a significant reduction of haemoglobin content and haematocrite value. It was the most toxic drug to the heart and lungs. Pharmacological studies showed that it produced direct depression on the isolated rabbits, heart, a perasympathomimetic effect manifested on isolated rabbits, intestine and blood pressure of anaesthetized dogs. 2. The LD 50 of astiban was 290 mg/kg. The results of subacute toxicity tests were similar to those obtained with tartar emetic but it was devoid of any toxic effect on heart. Pharmacological studies showed that it produced parasyupathomimetic effect on isolated rabbit's heart. 3. LD 50 of Hycanthone was 57 mg/ kg. No effect on the blood picture of rats was observed it was more toxic to the liver. It produced direct cardiac inhibition on the isolated rabbit's hearts, parasympathomimetic effect on the isolated rabbit's intestine and blood pressure of dog. 4. LD 50 of niridazole was 990 mg/ kg. The results of subacute toxicity tests were similar to those obtained with hycanthone. It is more toxic to brain it produced direct cardiac inhibition on the rabbit's heart and hypotension in dog