علی فتاحی بافقی - Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
منیره مدرس مصدق - Department of pharmacology, Faculty of pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
مهرداد قایمی - Department of pharmacology, Faculty of pharmacy, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
سید حسن حجازیان - Department of physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

Background and Aims: Because of the toxicity and side-effects of synthetic drugs, there is a growing interest in biomedical plants. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro antileishmanial activity of Carum copticum essential oil against Leishmania (L) major. Materials and Methods: Nineteen experimental groups were designed to determine the effect of Carum copticum essential oil against L. major and compare it with Meglumine antimonite. Group ۱ was the control group and included ۲۰۰ µl of RPMI ۱۶۴۰ plus ۲×۱۰۵ cells/ml promastigotes. Groups ۲-۱۰ included the aforementioned substances plus ۱۰ µl of ۰.۰۱, ۰.۰۲, ۰.۰۵, ۰.۱, ۰.۲, ۰.۵, ۱, ۲ and ۳ µg/ml of Carum copticum essential oil respectively. Groups ۱۱-۱۹ were similar to groups ۲-۱۰ but Meglumine antimonite (۰.۰۱, ۰.۰۲, ۰.۰۵, ۰.۱, ۰.۲, ۰.۵, ۱, ۲ and ۳ µg/ml) was used instead of Carum copticum essential oil. All the experiments were repeated five times. After ۸ hours, the antileishmanial activities of studied substances were determined. Results: Up to concentration of ۰.۵ µg/ml, no effect was observed with both substances. In comparison to control group, at ۱ and ۲ µg/ml, Meglumine antimonite had no effect on Leishmaniasis (p>۰.۰۵) while Carum copticum essential oil significantly decreased Leishmaniasis viability (p<۰.۰۵). Moreover, at ۳ µg/ml, both compounds significantly decreased Leishmaniasis viability (p<۰.۰۵). However, Carum copticum essential oil had substantially better Antileishmanial activity than the other.   Conclusions: These results suggest that comparable concentrations, in vitro antileishmanial activity of Carum copticum essential oil is better than Meglumine antimonite.

Carum, Leishmania major, Leishmaniasis, Promastigotes, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Carum copticum, Anti Leishmanial activity, Leishmania major, Promastigote