Sedigheh Albakhit - Cellular and Molecular Research Center; Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
Shahram khademvatan - Department of Microbiology, Falavarjan Branch,Islamic Azad University, Falavarjan ,Isfahan , Iran
Monir Doudi - Cellular and Molecular Research Center; Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran

Background and Aim: Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease with high prevalence. Various medicines are used for treatment of Leishmaniasis but because of their side effects and drug resistance, the medical society seeks new effective compounds. The aim of this study was the evaluation of Zizyphus spina- Christi as source of new medicinal factor. Materials and Methods: The methanolic extract was prepared by percolation method. Leishmania major promastigotes cultured at ۲۵±۲°C in stationary phase in RPMI-۱۶۴۰ medium complemented with ۱۰% fetal calf serum (FCS) and antibiotic Penicillin-Streptomycin (۱۰,۰۰۰ U/mL). By using MTT assay, the biological activity of plant extracts was evaluated in comparison with Glucantime against L.major promastigotes and IC۵۰ values (۵۰% inhibitory concentrations) were also studied. All tests were repeated for three times. Results: Zizyphus spina- Christi extracts and glucantime inhibited the growth of promastigote forms of L.major in vitro after ۲۴, ۴۸ and ۷۲ hours of incubation. IC۵۰ of glucantime was ۲۱.۹۶μg/ml, and IC۵۰ values for methanol and the aqueous extracts of Zizyphus spina- Christi were ۶۰ μg/ml and ۸۰ μg/ml, respectively. All plant extracts had profound effects on promastigotes of L.major. Conclusions: As regards, methanol and aqueous extract of Zizyphus spina-Christi have anti-leishmanial effects in vitro, further works are required to appraise the exact effect of these extracts on Leishmania agents in animal models.

Leishmania major, Zizyphus spina- Christi, plant extract, MTT, لیشمانیا ماژور, Zizyphusspina Christi, عصاره گیاهی, MTT