title: The activity of ozonated olive oil against Leishmania major promastigotes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Cutaneous Leishmaniasis is a common and endemic disease in Khorasan province in North-East of Iran. The pentavalant antimony (Sb V) is the mainstay of treatment that has many side effects and resistance to the drug has been reported. The microbicidal effect of ozone was proven in different microorganisms. Since there is no study in this respect and to achieve a low cost and effective treatment, we decided to evaluate the efficacy of ozone against promastigotes of Leishmania major, in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ozonated olive oil was prepared after production of ozone by bubbling ozone-oxygen gas produced by ozone generator through olive oil until it solidified. Promastigotes of L. major were cultivated in two phasic media. After calculation of the number of promastigotes, they were incubated with ozonated olive oil (0, 0.626, 0.938, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10 mcg/ml) at 28 °c for 24 hr. Parasites survival percentage was evaluated using MTS and microscopic assay, and then compared with Glucantime and non-ozonated olive oil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to the results, there were significant differences in parasites survival percentage between ozonated olive oil and non-ozonated olive oil, at similar concentrations (P<0.001). Ozonated olive oil was more effective than Glucantime. According to MTS results, Glucantime and ozonated olive oil gel concentrations that are required to inhibit the growth of L. major promastigotes by 50% (IC50), were 165 and 0.002 mg/ml, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ozonated olive oil has in vitro activity against the promastigotes of L. major and this effect is dose dependent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Omid
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rajabi
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Ameneh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sazgarnia
authors.affiliation: Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Abbasi
authors.affiliation: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Research Center, Qaem Hospital, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran.
authors.forename: Pouran
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Layegh
keywords: In vitro; Leishmania major; Ozone; Promastigote