Evaluating the Coconut Water as a Replacement for the Fetal Calf Serum in Cultivation of ‎Promastigotes of Leishmania Infantum

Backgrounds and Aims: The protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania can be stated as the causative agents of the various clinical diseases. Fetal Calf Serum (FCS) is the major part of the Leishmania culture media, which is the most expensive ingredient in these media. The coconut water is packed with nutrients that yield an array of health benefits. Materials and Methods: In the present study, the efficacy of the coconut water was evaluated in the cultivation of promastigotes of Leishmania infantum. Results: The results indicated that, the coconut water enriched with culture medium could not support the growth of the parasites and cannot be used for cultivation of Leishmania infantum. Conclusions: Leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases that can cause human infections varying from self-healing cutaneous lesions to mucosal diffuse cutaneous and visceral forms. It is concluded that although the coconut water is an easy available and cheap replacement for FCS, it could not be used in cultivation process of Leishmania infantum promastigotes.