the efficacy of hydro alcoholic extract of seidlitzia rosmarinus on experimental zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions in murine model

objective: leishmaniasis is one of the most important parasitic infectious diseases in the world. since last century, many efforts have been made to control and treat the disease, but appropriate vaccines, pesticides and medicines are not available or even eligible. the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of hydro-alcoholic extract of seidlitzia rosmarinus on the lesions of experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis (cl) in balb/c mice. materials and methods: the population study was 60 ballb/c mice which divided to 6 groups, all infected with leishmania major [mrho/75/ir]. soon after the ulcer started to appear in the early stage, a dose of provided herbal extract with 5, 10 and 15% concentration applied on each lesion. the surface area of the lesions measured during an interval of 10 days. direct giemsa stained smears prepared two and four weeks after treatment. results: increasing the mean size of the lesions was statistically significant compared to those in control group (p>0.001). visceral leishmaniasis (vl) developed in all of the mice including the control group that received eucerine alone. survival rate in group receiving 15% s. rosmarinus extracts showed significantly higher  compared to mice in control group (p<0.001). conclusion: hydro-alcoholic extracts of s.rosmarinus with concentrations below15% did not show a therapeutic effect on experimental cl ulcers of balb/c mice. further studies with higher concentrations or nano particles are recommended.