Anti-Leishmanial Effects of Medicinal Plants

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic infection caused by Leishmania species of protozoan parasites, which affects millions of people all around the world. It is transmitted by the bite of infected sandflies and can cause a range of symptoms such as skin lesions, fever, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly. Currently, there is no vaccine developed to control this disease and the available treatment options are limited and usually come with side effects. However, medicinal plants have been investigated for their potential anti-leishmanial effects, and some have shown promising results. One such plant is Artemisia annua, also known as sweet wormwood. It contains artemisinin. Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of artemisinin against several species of Leishmania parasites. Another plant such plant is Lantana camara, commonly known as red sage in the English language. It has shown leishmanicidal effects both in in vitro and in vivo studies. The organic extracts of L. camara have shown potential activity against Leishmania species, especially Leishmania major. Other medicinal plants that have been investigated for their potential anti-leishmanial effects include Berberis vulgaris, Ferula macrecolea, and Calendula officinalis. Extracts of these plants have shown activity against Leishmania parasites in various studies. The major active constituent of Berberis vulgaris, berberine, hinders the growth of different parasitic forms of the Leishmania parasite. The roots of B.vulgaris are highly efficacious against certain species of Leishmania including L. tropica, L.donovani, and L. infantum. The essential oil Ferula macrecolea works against L. tropica whereas the methanolic extracts of Calendula officinalis are found effective against L.major. Overall, medicinal plants offer a promising approach for the development of new anti-leishmanial treatments.