In vitro antileishmanial activity of Mexican medicinal plants. Issue 9 (September 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Delgado-Altamirano, Ronna; Monzote, Lianet; Piñón-Tápanes, Abel; Vibrans, Heike; Rivero-Cruz, J. Fausto; Ibarra-Alvarado, César; Rojas-Molina, Alejandra
• Is Part Of: Heliyon. Volume 3:Issue 9(2017)
• Publication Date: 2017-09
• Subjects: Infectious diseases -- Pharmaceutical science; Research -- Periodicals; Medical sciences -- Periodicals; Natural history -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Earth sciences -- Periodicals; Physical sciences -- Periodicals; 507.2
• DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00394
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2405-8440

Abstract

Abstract: Aim of the study: To evaluate the anti-leishmanial activity and cytotoxicity of aqueous and organic extracts of ten plants used in Mexican traditional medicine as anti-parasitics. Materials and methods: For the organic extracts, plant material was macerated in dichloromethane (CH2 Cl2 ) and dichloromethane/methanol (CH2 Cl2 /MeOH) (1:1) during two weeks; the aqueous extracts were prepared by infusion. The extracts were tested against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis . The cytotoxicity was assayed in parallel on peritoneal macrophages of BALB/c mice. Results: Four of the thirty extracts tested were active and selective against L. amazonensis promastigotes: Schinus molle (CH2 Cl2 and CH2 Cl2 /MeOH), Lantana camara (CH2 Cl2 ) and Prosopis laevigata (aqueous). These extracts had a median inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) against intracellular amastigotes under 50 μg/mL and a selectivity index (SI) higher than 5, which indicates that they constitute valuable candidates to obtain secondary metabolites with leishmanicidal activity. Conclusions: The results derived from this study indicate that L. camara, P. laevigata, and S. molle might provide interesting new leads for the development of antileishmanial drugs.