title: Chemical composition along with anti-leishmanial and cytotoxic activity of Zataria multiflora.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Natural products and their compounds are some of the most interesting sources of new drugs. Reviews have reported various pharmacological properties such as antimicrobial effects of Zataria multiflora Boiss (Lamiaceae).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study investigates the chemical composition of Z. multiflora essential oil and evaluates its cytotoxic effects and anti-leishmanial activities against Leishmania tropica in an in vitro model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The components of Z. multiflora oil were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis. Anti-leishmanial effects of the essential oil (0-100 μL/mL) and methanol extract of Z. multiflora (0-100 μg/mL) on promastigote forms as well as their cytotoxic activities against J774 cells were evaluated using MTT assay for 72 h. The leishmanicidal activity against amastigote forms of L. tropica was evaluated at the concentrations of 0-50 μg/mL in a macrophage model for 48 h.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The chemical analyses demonstrated that the main components of essential oil were thymol (41.81%), carvacrol (28.85%), and p-cymene (8.36%). Regarding leishmanicidal activity, the IC50 values for the essential oil and methanol extract were 3.2 μL/mL and 9.8 μg/mL against promastigote forms and 8.3 μL/mL and 34.6 μg/mL against amastigote forms, respectively. Essential oil (CC50 89.3 μL/mL) indicated a higher cytotoxic effect than the methanol extract (CC50 591.6 μg/mL) of Z. multiflora.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study revealed the chemical composition of Z. multiflora that might be a natural source of new anti-leishmanial agents in terms of use against cutaneous leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: a Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran .
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Saedi Dezaki
authors.affiliation: b Herbal and Traditional Medicines Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran .
authors.forename: Hossein
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mahmoudvand
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pharmacognosy , Faculty of Pharmacy, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran .
authors.forename: Fariba
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sharififar
authors.affiliation: d Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology , Lorestan University of Medical Sciences Khorramabad , Iran , and.
authors.forename: Shirzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fallahi
authors.affiliation: e Department of Parasitology , Institute of Tropical Medicine "Pedro Kouri" , Havana City , Cuba.
authors.forename: Lianet
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Monzote
authors.affiliation: a Leishmaniasis Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences , Kerman , Iran .
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ezatkhah
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D019686:Lamiaceae; D007895:Leishmania tropica / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000469:parasitology; D051379:Mice; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D003603:Cytotoxins; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Cutaneous leishmaniasis; GC/MS; Leishmania tropica; cytotoxicity; medicinal plants