1.Effect of Hypericum thymbrifolium BOISS. ET NOE, Hypericum scabrum L. and Eryngium creticum LAM. plant extracts on Leishmania major, Leishmania tropica and Leishmania infantum/donovani strains and their cytotoxic potential
Ozpinar, H. ; Culha, G. ; Ozpinar, N. ; Kaya, T. ; Kara, B. ; Yucel, H.
Tropical Biomedicine 2024;41(No.1):36-44
Leishmaniasis causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. In our country, there has been a
significant increase in the number of cases of leishmaniasis in the last decade. In our study, the effects
of Hypericum thymbrifolium, Hypericum scabrum and Eryngium creticum plant extracts were tested on
Leishmania major, Leishmania tropica and Leishmania infantum/donovani, which were clinically resistant
by not responding to Glucantime® therapy. Cytotoxicity of these extracts were evaluated by XTT method
in the human fibroblast cell line. Possible active ingredients were detected by GC-MS analysis from plant
extracts. Glucantime® resistance was detected at concentrations of 50 µg/mL and lower in 4 of the 7
strains tested. No living leishmania parasites were found in leishmania strains treated with plant extracts
at concentrations of 100 µg/mL or higher. The concentrations of plant extracts included in the study
on the WI-38 human fibroblast cell line were not cytotoxic. According to the GC-MS analysis, several
active substances with biological activities and anti-parasitic effects, such as Thiophene, Germacrene-D,
trans-Geranylgeraniol, Pyridine, and Maleimides, were identified. Based on the findings of the study, it
is believed that these identified active substances when supported by in-vivo studies, will pave the way
for future research and have the potential to be developed as anti-leishmania drugs.