title: In vitro activity of an essential oil against Leishmania donovani.
abstract: The in vitro antileishmanial effect of the essential oil from Chenopodium ambrosioides against Leishmania donovani was investigated. The product showed significant activity against promastigotes and amastigotes, with a 50% effective concentration of 4.45 and 5.1 microg/mL, respectively. The essential oil caused an irreversible inhibition of the growth of promastigotes after a treatment with 100 or 10 microg/mL for 1 or 24 h, respectively. The phagocytic activity of the macrophages was preserved at a concentration toxic to the parasite. The essential oil from C. ambrosioides may be a potential candidate drug to development a new agent to combat this parasitic disease.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitología, Instituto de Medicina Tropical Pedro Kourí, Ciudad de la Habana, Cuba. monzote@ipk.sld.cu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monzote
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Montalvo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Scull
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Abreu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027464:Chenopodium ambrosioides / Q000737:chemistry*; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000187:drug effects*; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000469:parasitology; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile