Batool Sadeghi-Nejad - Abadan School of Medical Sciences, Abadan, Iran, Cellular and Molecular Research Center of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences Iran
Shahram Khademvatan - Department of Myco-Parasitology, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran.
Alborz Eskandari - Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahvaz JundishapourUniversity of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
Sedigheh Yusef Naanaie - The Agricultural and Natural of Resources center, Ahvaz, Iran

The major health problem global is Leishmaniasis and affects millions of people especially in developing countries. The incidence of leishmaniasis has increased and there is no vaccination for Leishmania infections and usual drugs for treatment of the disease have many side effects therefore, there is a necessary to find new effective alternatives. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antileishmanial activity of Ixora brachita root extracts against L. infantum and L. major promastigotes by using colorimetric MTT assay as compared to the pentavalent antimonial compound (meglumine antimonite). Methods: Different doses of selected plant extract was tested against L. major and L.infantum promastigotes. Glucantime was used as the positive control. Results: Anti-parasitic effect was revealed for root extract of Ixora brachita root on L. major and L. infantum promastigotes with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 37.54 and 18.49 mg ml-1, respectively compared to the standard drugs, pentostam, which had an IC50 value of 0.91 mg ml-1 for L. major and 2.63 mg ml-1 for L. infantum promastigotes after 72 hours. Conclusion: These results revealed a new background on drug progress against Leishmania.

Leishmania major, Leishmania infantum, Ixora brachita, colorimetric MTT