Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Health Care

Kourosh Azizi ¹, Fatemeh Shahidi-Hakak ², Mohammad Djaefar Moemenbellah-Fard ³, Qasem Asgari ⁴, Soliman Mohammadi-Samani ⁵

Affiliations
1 Research Centre for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz - 71645-111, Iran, IR
2 Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, IR
3 Research Centre for Health Sciences, Department of Medical Entomology and Vector Control, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, P. O. Box 71645-111, IR
4 Basic Sciences in Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, P. O. Box 71348-14336,, IR
5 Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, IR

Abstract

Herbal extracts were used to investigate the in vivo efficacy of Artemisia absinthium on the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in susceptible mice. A total of 40 BALB/c mice were subjected to assays. In each, 3-5×10³ amastigotes of standard Leishmania major strain were inoculated subcutaneously into the tail base of mice. Groups of mice were assigned as: I-negative control, II-positive control, III-Glucantime®, IV-ointment twice a day, V-ointment with oral medicine, VI-oral medicine on parasite injection, VII-oral medicine once ulcer develops, and VIII-ointment-based crème on ulcer. The gold standard of clinical infection control was based on ulcer size measurement using a Vernier scale weekly during 4 weeks Post-Ulcer Development (PUD). The mean ulcer sizes in different groups were compared using the post hoc Dunnett's 3 statistical analyses. There was a significant difference between the two groups of ointment with medicine (V) and medicine on parasite inoculation (VI) (P ≤ 0.027). Antiulcer activity and healing was noted after oral treatment with aqueous extract on parasite injection. There was a significant difference between data from positive control group and local ointment with oral medicine (P ≤ 0.045) indicating that ointment use facilitated ulcer growth. There was also a significant difference between data from Glucantime® use and ointment with medicine group (P ≤ 0.039) which showed the deteriorating effect of oil-based ointment use. The oral administration of extract had an effect similar to Glucantime® use and led to the repair of ulcer. A. absinthium extract as oral feeder appeared to cause modulation of host responses, ulcer size reduction and tissue repair.

 

Keywords

Artemisia, Balb/c mice, Glucantime®, Leishmania major, Treatment

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