In vitro antiamoebic activity of Iranian Allium sativum in comparison with metronidazole against entamoeba histolytica

Amoebiasis is due to infection with the protozoan parasite Entamoeba hislolytica. The patients infected with E. histolytica must be treated right after definite diagnosis and no need to treat infected individuals with E. dispar isolates. Metronidazole is used as a drug of choice against amoebiasis. However, like a lot of other chemical agents, this drug has its own side effects. This prompted us to carry out, an in vitro research into antiamoebic effect of Iranian Allion, sativum [garlic], which has been used for centuries, as an herbal medicine, without harmful side effects. Hydro-alcoholic, hexanic extracts and essential oil of 100 gram of crushed A. sativum was isolated and the minimal inhibitory concentration [MIC] of the extracts and essential oil in comparison with metronidazole were obtained on trophozoite of E. histolytica, HM-1: IMSS strain in TYI-S-33 medium. The MIC for A. sativum hydroalcoholic. hexanic extracts and essential oil after 24 hours was 60mg mL[-1], 4mg mL[-1] and 0.4mg mL[-1], respectively. After 48 hours the MIC for A. sativum hexanic extract and essential oil was 3mg mL[-1] and 0.3mg mL[-1], respectively. MIC for metronidazole was obtained 2 micro g mL[-1] and 1.5 micro g mL[-1] after 24 hours and 48 hours, in that order. Iranian A. sativum is effective on the trophozoites of E. histolytica species and the essential oil exhibited the greatest antiamoebic activity, at the lowest MIC

Effect of garlic extract on cutaneous leishmaniasis and the role of nitric oxide

The production of nitric oxide [NO] is important in the final outcome of leishmaniasis in animal models. The efficacy of garlic therapy and a combination of garlic and vitamin A were compared with an antimonial drug [glucantime] to assess healing and regulation of NO release in mice infected with Leishmania major. The mice were subjected to 3 105 promastigotes and allowed to induce a lesion. The mice were treated with above compounds twice a day for 45 days. The diameter of the lesion was measured on days 1, 10, 20, 30 and 45. In a separate experiment, NO release by peritoneal macrophages was measured. The diameter of lesion was reduced by aqueous extract of garlic within 30 days of treatment. However, the maximum reduction was induced when mice were subjected to vitamin A for 10 days before the administration of the aqueous extract for 30 days. A significant correlation between healing and the amount of NO release was also found. A combination of aqueous extract of garlic and vitamin A can treat leishmanisis