Effect of Aqueous Allium cepa and Ixora brachiata Root Extract on Leishmania major Promastigotes

BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a major worldwide public health problem with about two to three million humans threatened by this disease annually. Allium cepa (onion) is an important dietary vegetable and was used as a herbal medicine for centuries. The root of Ixora brachiata is medicinally important. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-Leishmania effect of the ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Ixora brachiata root and aqueous onion extracts on Leishmania major promastigotes. PATIENTS AND METHODS The parasites isolated from cutaneous leishmaniasis were exposed with different concentrations of selected plant extracts and their inhibitory effects on the promastigotes were evaluated after 24 and 48 hours. RESULTS Among tested plant extracts, Ixora brachiata root extracts revealed the best activity against Leishmania major promastigotes with IC100 value of 2.5 mg/mL and IC50 value of 0.078 mg/mL. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that aqueous Allium cepa and Ixora brachiata root extracts as natural products could be used as alternative drugs in treatment of leishmaniasis.