Author/Authors :
Ahmadi-Renani, K Departments of Immunology Parasitology, Medical Biological Research Center,Department of Pharmacology,Health and Nutrition Research Center, Baghiyatallah Medical Sciences University, Tehran , Esfahani, A Departments of Immunology Parasitology, Medical Biological Research Center,Department of Pharmacology,Health and Nutrition Research Center, Baghiyatallah Medical Sciences University, Tehran , Cheraghali, M Departments of Immunology Parasitology, Medical Biological Research Center,Department of Pharmacology,Health and Nutrition Research Center, Baghiyatallah Medical Sciences University, Tehran , Mahmoodzadeh, A Departments of Immunology Parasitology, Medical Biological Research Center,Department of Pharmacology,Health and Nutrition Research Center, Baghiyatallah Medical Sciences University, Tehran
Abstract :
Background: The production of nitric oxide (NO) is important in
the final outcome of leishmaniasis in animal models.
Objective: The efficacy of garlic therapy and a combination of garlic
and vitamin A were compared with an antimonial drug (glucantime)
to assess healing and regulation of NO release in mice infected
with Leishmania major.
Methods: The mice were subjected to 3´105 promastigotes and allowed
to induce a lesion. The mice were treated with above compounds
twice a day for 45 days. The diameter of the lesion was
measured on days 1, 10, 20, 30 and 45. In a separate experiment,
NO release by peritoneal macrophages was measured.
Results: The diameter of lesion was reduced by aqueous extract of
garlic within 30 days of treatment. However, the maximum reduction
was induced when mice were subjected to vitamin A for 10 days
before the administration of the aqueous extract for 30 days. A significant
correlation between healing and the amount of NO release
was also found.
Keywords :
Leishmaniasis , Leishmania major , garlic , nitric oxide
