Screening of antileishmanial activity from marine sponge extracts collected off the Tunisian coast.
The present study reports on the in vitro antileishmanial activity of two Ircinidae (Dictyoceratida, Demospongiae, Porifera) Ircinia spinosula and Sarcotragus sp. Sampled from the east coast of Tunisia. The ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, and aqueous extracts were tested against Leishmania major promastigotes. The anti-proliferative activity was checked using different extracts concentration during 72 h. We found that the IC50 (sub-inhibitory concentration) values ranged from 1.39 to 264.67 mug/ml. The most active extract was that from sarcotragus sp dichloromethane extract. Microscopic observations showed that the extracts promoted cellular alterations and induce enlargement of the nucleus and modification of the parasite shape. These promising results in relation with in vitro antileishmanial activity open the way for complementary investigation in order to purify and identify active molecules.
Ben Kahla-Nakbi
Amel
A
Laboratoire de Biodiversité et Biotechnologie Marine, Institut National des Sciences et Technologies de la Mer annexe Monastir, Annexe Monastir, BP 59 Monastir, 5000 Tunisia. Nakbi_amel@yahoo.fr
Haouas
Najoua
N
El Ouaer
Ali
A
Guerbej
Hamadi
H
Ben Mustapha
Karim
K
Babba
Hamouda
H
D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D008853:Microscopy; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D011161:Porifera / Q000737:chemistry*; D014416:Tunisia
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents