title: Evaluation of the Leishmanicidal Activity of Rutaceae and Lauraceae Ethanol Extracts on Golden Syrian Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) Peritoneal Macrophages.
abstract: Traditional medicine has provided a number of therapeutic solutions for the control of infectious agents, cancers, and other diseases. After screening a wide variety of Colombian plant extracts, we have identified promising antileishmanial activity in ethanol extracts from Ocotea macrophylla (Lauraceae) and Zanthoxyllum monophyllum (Rutaceae). In this study, we evaluated the in vitro activity of two ethanol extracts, one from Ocotea macrophylla and the other from Zanthoxyllum monophyllum and one alkaloid fraction of ethanol extract of Zanthoxyllum monophyllum, on peritoneal macrophages isolated from golden Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) infected with Leishmania panamensis and Leishmania major promastigotes. All of the extracts studied displayed promising (≥2) selectivity indices (S/I), the most significant of which were for ethanol extract of Zanthoxyllum monophyllum against Leishmania panamensis (S/I=12) and alkaloid fraction of ethanol extract of Zanthoxyllum monophyllum against Leishmania major (S/I=11). These results support the use of ethanol extracts and alkaloid fractions isolated from Ocotea macrophylla and Zanthoxyllum monophyllum, respectively; as therapeutic options for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Immunotoxicology Research Group, Pharmacy Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogotá, Colombia. A.A. 14490, Bogotá-Colombia.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Chávez Enciso
authors.affiliation: Universidad Militar, Nueva Granada, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogotá-Colombia.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Coy-Barrera
authors.affiliation: Natural Plant Products Group, Chemistry Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogotá-Colombia.
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Patiño
authors.affiliation: Natural Plant Products Group, Chemistry Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogotá-Colombia.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Cuca
authors.affiliation: Immunotoxicology Research Group, Pharmacy Department, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Bogotá, Colombia. A.A. 14490, Bogotá-Colombia.
authors.forename: Gabriela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Delgado
keywords: Lauraceae; Leishmaniasis; Rutaceae; hamster macrophages; natural products