title: In vitro evaluation of traditionally used Surinamese medicinal plants for their potential anti-leishmanial efficacy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plant-based preparations are extensively used in Surinamese folk medicine for treating leishmaniasis, but often without a scientific rationale.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate 25 Surinamese medicinal plants for their potential efficacy against leishmaniasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Concentrated plant extracts were evaluated for their effect on the viability of L. (V.) guyanensis AMC, L. (L.) major NADIM5, and L. (L.) donovani GEDII promastigotes, as well as intracellular amastigotes of L. (L.) donovani BHU814 in infected THP-1 cells. Selectivity was assessed by cytotoxicity against THP-1 cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The only plant extract that showed potentially meaningful anti-leishmanial activity was that from Solanum lycocarpum that displayed mean IC50 values of about 51, 61, and <16 µg/mL against L. (V) guyanensis, L. (L) major, and L. (L) donovani promastigotes, respectively; about 374 µg/mL against L. (L) donovani amastigotes; and >500 µg/mL against THP-1 cells. The Bryophyllum pinnatum, Inga alba, and Quassia amara extracts displayed moderate to high IC50 values against promastigotes (about 51 to >500 µg/mL) and/or amastigotes (about 224 to >500 µg/mL) but were relatively toxic to THP-1 cells (IC50 values <16 to about 42 µg/mL). The remaining plant extracts exhibited in many cases IC50 values close to, around, or above 500µg/mL against promastigotes, amastigotes, and THP-1 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The S. lycocarpum preparation may be useful against leishmaniasis and may have a good safety index, warranting further investigations into its active constituents and mechanism(s) of action.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname. Electronic address: dennis_mans@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: D R A
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Mans
authors.affiliation: Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)/Royal Tropical Institute, KIT Biomedical Research, Parasitology Unit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Beerens
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Magali
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Soekhoe
authors.affiliation: Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)/Royal Tropical Institute, KIT Biomedical Research, Parasitology Unit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Schoone
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oedairadjsingh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Anton de Kom University of Suriname, Paramaribo, Suriname.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Hasrat
authors.affiliation: Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)/Royal Tropical Institute, KIT Biomedical Research, Parasitology Unit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: van den Bogaart
authors.affiliation: Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen (KIT)/Royal Tropical Institute, KIT Biomedical Research, Parasitology Unit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H D F H
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Schallig
mesh_terms: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007893:Leishmania donovani / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D032322:Solanum; D013532:Suriname; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Suriname; amastigote-phagocyte assay; anti-leishmanial activity; leishmaniasis; medicinal plants; promastigote assay