In Vitro Antileishmanial Activity of Calotropis procera Extract on Leishmania major

Background: Pentavalent antimonial agents remain the primary therapeutic option for leishmaniasis; however, accumulating evidence highlights significant adverse effects, toxicity concerns, and emerging drug resistance associated with these compounds. Accordingly, the exploration of alternative therapeutic agents, particularly from natural sources, has gained increasing attention. The present study aimed to investigate the in vitro antileishmanial activity of Calotropis procera extract against both promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania major. Methods: Methanolic extract of C. procera flowers was obtained through the maceration technique. The antiproliferative activity of the extract on promastigotes was quantified using the colorimetric ۳-(۴,۵-dimethylthiazol-۲-yl)-۲,۵-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay to assess cell viability and growth inhibition. Results: MTT assay findings demonstrated that C. procera extract markedly inhibited the proliferation of L. major promastigotes. The calculated IC۵۰ value for the extract alone was ۳۸۷.۹۱ μg/mL, whereas the combination of C. procera extract with meglumine antimoniate exhibited enhanced inhibitory activity, yielding an IC۵۰ value of ۲۱۱.۲۶ μg/mL. Conclusion: The observed inhibitory effects suggest that C. procera possesses promising antileishmanial properties and may represent a potential natural candidate for the development of alternative therapeutic strategies against leishmaniasis.

کلیدواژه ها:

Amastigote ، Promastigote ، Calotropis procera ، Leishmania major ، Extract