Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the in vitro and in vivo anti-leishmanial and cytotoxic activities of extracts of different parts of Lawsonia Inermis, Morus nigra and Ziziphus mauritiana.
Methods: The methanol extracts of all three plant materials at concentrations of 10 - 100 mu g/mL were tested for their in vitro anti-leishmanial effects on L. tropica KWH23 promastigotes for 24 - 48 h, relative to negative control and amphotericin-B (standard drug). For in vivo anti-leishmanial activity, the extracts were tested against L. tropica-infected albino mice, while cytotoxicity was investigated against mammalian cells (lymphocytes).
Results: For Lawsonia Inermis leaves, mean inhibition of extracellular promastigotes at 10, 25, 50 and 100 mu g/mL after 48 h were 98.2 +/- 0.06, 98.75 +/- 1.09, 99.31 +/- 0.00 and 100.00 +/- 0.00 %, respectively. After 8 weeks, mean lesion size decreased from 0.8 +/- 0.2 mm to 0.3 +/- 0.1 mm (p < 0.01), and cure at 150 mg/kg against intracellular amastigotes in albino mice was 97.02 % (95 % CI = 96.14 - 98.10). IC50 for Lawsonia inermis leaf extract was 12.22 mu g/mL (95 % CI = 11.54 - 13.84) against lymphocytes.
Conclusion: The results obtained in this study show that Lawsonia Inermis leaf is safe and possesses potent anti-leishmanial activity.