Leishmania is one of the protozoan parasites that are transferred to human by infected sand flies and gives rise to a range of diseases entitled as Leishmaniasis. More than 20 known species of Leishmania can infect humans and cause various clinical symptoms. Three most known clinical manifestations are Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL), Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis (MCL) and Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) (kala-azar or black fever). The difference in the clinical form dependent on several factors: species of Leishmania, type of vector that transmits the Leishmania, and the immune status of an infected individual. The current drugs which are used as anti-leishaminial treatment are characterized by enormous side effects, including their toxicity to human, long term treatment, liver problems and huge cost. Therefore, there is a necessity to find an alternative treatment marked as low cost, more specific against parasite’s stages, and metabolic pathways, and non-toxicity to human. Plants are considered one of the important sources for the remedy of the tropical diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Cymbopogon Citratus (lemon grass) is a herbal medicine used as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-malarial, anti-protozoal and for gastrointestinal problems remedy. In order to detect the effects of C. Citratus against Leishmaniasis, in this study, serial dilution for the essential oil of C.citratus (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5 and 31.25) µg/ml were used against L. donovani Promastigotes. Viability was also evaluated at 24, 48 and 72 hours post-treatment. The results revealed that high concentrations (1000, 500 and 250) µg/ml were more effective than other concentrations during all time intervals, and IC50 values were 640, 492 and 442 µg/ml at 24, 48 and 72 hours respectively. In conclusion, this current study is one of a persistent search to find new treatments characterized by its high activity and low adverse effects to treat protozoa parasites for instance, Leishmania, and displays the effectiveness of the essential oils as a promising alternative
Leishmania are protozoan parasites belonging to the family Trypanosomatidae that cause high morbidity and mortality levels with a wide spectrum of clinical syndrome. This study aimed to investigate the effect of liposomal amphotericine B (AmBisome) drug on promastigote and axenic amastigote stages of Leishmania donovani isolate (MHOM/IQ/2005/MRU15)in comparison with pentostam SbV drug. Different concentrations of AmBisome and SbV drugs were investigated against Leishmania donovani promastigote and axenic amastigote. The ICR50R values of SbV and AmBisome drugs on promastigote were10.12 mg/ml and 2.21μg/ml, respectively, while they were 0.77μg/ml for axenic amastigote for both drugs. The present study concluded that axenic amastigote was
... Show MoreThis study has evaluated the humoral immune response in Golden Hamsters experimentally infected with Leishmania donovani along (4) times of follow up (15, 30, 60, 90) days after infection. Indirect haemagglutination test was used to determine the antibody titer through the various stages of the study. Also the progress of the infection was studied depending on some of the visceral changes caused by the parasite, like weight of liver, length & weight of spleen & the count of Leishmania parasites in spleen were measured. Results has shown that there was an increase in antibody titer & the maximum value was recorded at the 4th day of follow up (90 days after infection) as well as that there was an increase in the length of the spleen, weight
... Show MoreVisceral leishmaniasis (VL), the second-most-serious parasitic illness after malaria, is currently endemic in more than 88 countries. Need for new anti-leishmanial compounds is currently being taken into consideration by researchers due to resistance and lack of effective vaccinations. This research was conducted to find out more about the effect of artemisinin (ART). ART was examined in vitro promastigotes stages and ex vivo amastigotes stages of the Iraqi strain of Leishmania donovani in U937 cell line after 24, 48 and 27 hours using MTT assay. In addition, the level of macrophage nitric oxide (NO) was measured using Griess assay in U937 cell line. The results of promastigotes viability percentage
... Show MoreBackground: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease in tropical countries, including Iraq. Several studies have sought to examine chemotherapies for leishmaniasis treatment but most of them are of toxic and/or undesirable side effect, therefore, the need for investigating new fewer toxic therapies is essential. Aim of study: In this study, the cytotoxic effect of Artemisinin (ART), a novel herbal compound, was screened against the two forms, promastigotes and amastigotes, of the Iraqi isolate of Leishmania tropica, the causative agent of Baghdad boil. Material and methods: Different concentrations (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.6 and 7.8) µM of Artemisinin were screened to investigate the leishmanicidal activity of th
... Show MoreBackground: Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease in tropical countries, including Iraq. Several studies have sought to examine chemotherapies for leishmaniasis treatment but most of them are of toxic and/or undesirable side effect, therefore, the need for investigating new fewer toxic therapies is essential. Aim of study: In this study, the cytotoxic effect of Artemisinin (ART), a novel herbal compound, was screened against the two forms, promastigotes and amastigotes, of the Iraqi isolate of Leishmania tropica, the causative agent of Baghdad boil. Material and methods: Different concentrations (1000, 500, 250, 125, 62.5, 31.25, 15.6 and 7.8) µM of Artemisinin were screened to investigate the leishmanic
... Show MoreThe Evaluation of the immune response in Golden Hamsters experimentally infected with Leishmania donovani was determined in this study, particularly, the cellular immune response. Follow up has maintained to determine the Delayed Type of Hypersensitivity using skin test both in infected and control lab animals. Chicken red blood cells were used as a parameter to evaluate the immune system; they are dull and have the ability of immunization. Two concentrations of chicken R.B.C were examined to determine which gives the higher titration in Hamsters and those were 1.5 X 109 cell/ml and 3 X 109 cell/ml , the second concentration gave the maximum titration where then used in this work. After sensitization with Chicken R.B.C for both infected a
... Show MoreThe Evaluation of the immune response in Golden Hamsters experimentally infected with Leishmania donovani was determined in this study, particularly, the cellular immune response. Follow up has maintained to determine the Delayed Type of Hypersensitivity using skin test both in infected and control lab animals. Chicken red blood cells were used as a parameter to evaluate the immune system; they are dull and have the ability of immunization. Two concentrations of chicken R.B.C were examined to determine which gives the higher titration in Hamsters and those were 1.5 X 109 cell/ml and 3 X 109 cell/ml , the second concentration gave the maximum titration where then used in this work. After sensitization with Chicken R.B.C for both in
... Show MoreRosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) is one of the most economically important species of the family Lamiaceae. Rosemary extract was examined by applying 2.2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assays. The result proved that rosemary extract had a higher antioxidant activity by absorption at a wavelength of 517a nm by using three different concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 3) mg/ml which performed the absorbance at (2. 314, 0. 211 and 0.296) nm in comparison with control (21.8, 92.2 and 90) nm respectively. Results obtained using chemical detection of the phytochemicals indicated the presence of flavonoids, phenols, saponins, Steroids and cardiac in rosemary water extract. Water extracts of R. officinalis leaves were inves
... Show MoreRosemary is a well-known aromatic and medicinal plant used to treat various ailments. This study evaluated Rosmarinus officinalis essential oil for its phytochemical and antibacterial properties. The essential oil was analysed by using a gas chromatography-mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) that revealed the common chemicals containing verbenone 36.20% and 1,8-cineol (Eucalyptol) 12.14%. Extracted essential oils were tested for antibacterial activity against vancomycin intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA), a strain of bacteria obtained locally from bacteremia patients. Three isolates were found to be VISA positive using the E-test (strips) and the population analysis profile method (PAP). VISA showed lower resist
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