Antileishmanial assessment of leaf extracts from Pluchea carolinensis, Pluchea odorata and Pluchea rosea.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the antileishmanial activity of different extracts from three Cuban Pluchea species.


METHODS
In in vitro assays the IC(50) was calculated in the promastigotes and amastigotes forms as cytotoxicity in murine macrophages. In leishmaniasis cutanea experiment, mortality, weight loss, lesion size and burden parasite were measured.


RESULTS
Extracts evaluated showed inhibitive effect on growing of promastigote form; however, active extracts caused a high toxicity. Ethanol and n-hexane extracts demonstrated specific antileishmanial activity. Ethanol and n-hexane extracts from Pluchea carolinensis (P. carolinensis) caused similar inhibition against amastigote form. The intraperitoneal administration of the ethanol extract of P. carolinensis at 100 mg/kg prevented lesion development compared with control groups.


CONCLUSIONS
The antileishmanial experiment suggests that ethanol extracts from P. carolinensis is the most promising. Further studies are still needed to evaluate the potential of this plant as a source of new antileishmanial agents.
Parasitology Department, Institute of Medicine Tropical Pedro Kourí, Havana City, Cuba.
Marley
M
García
Wilmer H
WH
Perera
Ramón
R
Scull
Lianet
L
Monzote
D000818:Animals; D019659:Asteraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D006586:Hexanes; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*; D012997:Solvents; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D006586:Hexanes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; C026385:n-hexane; D000431:Ethanol