Investigation of in vitro Cytotoxicity of Chelidonium majus against Leishmania major .

One of the public health issues in the endemic areas, especially in the Middle East region would be the Leishmaniasis. The suggested cure for leishmaniasis is pentavalent antimonials. These medications have drastic side effects and the risk of relapse. On the other hand, nowadays use of herbal remedies as safe and cost-effective treatments have been increased. Therefore this study was designed to determine in vitro anti-leishmanial activity of methanol extracts of greater celandine ( Chelidonium majus ) against Leishmania major . Greater celandine extract was added to L. major promastigotes and intra-macrophagic amastigotes. After 24, 48 and 72 h in vitro culture the percentage of promastigotes viability was calculated by direct counting method and MTT assay. Cytotoxicity in intra-macrophagic amastigotes was evaluated by direct counting method. Viability in minimum dose and maximum dose-treated groups (1.5 and 90 μg/ml) after 24 h, was 55.52% and 36.34%, respectively. After 48 h, it was 40% and 25.26% and after 72 h, it was 62.18% and 38.45%, respectively. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) was 0.92 μg/ml, after 24 h. Cytotoxicity in intra-macrophagic amastigotes treated by 3 μg/ml dose after 24 and 48 h, was 33.23% and 50.34%, respectively. It could be concluded that greater celandine methanolic extract has in vitro cytotoxic effect on the L. major in time and dose-dependent pattern.