THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND BIOCHEMICAL FEATURES OF LEISHMANIA DONOVANI PROMASTIGOTE AND THEIR REPRESSION BY DATURA STRAMONIUM PLANT EXTRACT

Abstract

Leishmania is an intracellular digenetic obligate parasite spread by insects and poses grave health issues throughout the world. Extensive use of antimony compounds as drugs poses high toxicity and cost and therefore, a position has been identied for herbal medicine. This study has been carried out to explore the developmental biochemical characteristics of Leishmania donovani promastigote. In addition, the mode of action of Datura stramonium (Solanaceae) plant extract on promastigote form of leishmania have been examined. Friedman's repeated measures analysis showed that 96hr of development is the junction point in promastigotes ontogeny. Post 96hr, it grows with a long stationary phase with higher enzymatic activities viz., acid phosphatase, superoxide dismutase and glutathione (oxidized and reduced). Total protein estimated, showed a linear relationship (R2 = 0.999). Phytochemical screening of extracts showed the presence of alkaloid, avonoid, xed oil and fats, saponin, tannin and phenolic compounds etc, and showed an effectual free radical scavenging in the DPPH assay with an IC50 value of extract of D. stramonium (55.63 µg/ml). A concentration of 250 µg/mL of the plant extract completely inhibited the L. donovani promastigotes in vitro while concentrations of 50 µg/mL and 100 µg/mL decreased the survival level by 25-50%. Our ndings corroborate the ethnopharmacological use of this plant for the treatment of Leishmaniasis. Also, our results are promoters as potential sources to search antileishmanial bioactive agents.