Efficacy of Mimosa Tenuiflora extract on growth of Leishmania protozoa in vitro

Background and aim: Leishmaniasis is a zoonotic disease with wide clinical diversity caused by protozoan parasite belonging to the genus of Leishmania. Treatment of human leishmaniases are still based on pentavalent antimonials but their toxicity and emerging resistance are problematic. This study was performed to assess the effect of Mimosa tenuiflora extract on L. tropica promastigotes to find potential new therapeutic method against leishmaniasis.Materials and Methods: This study has been based on two in vitro methods: methyl thiazole tetrazolium (MTT) assay and counting parasites, using 10, 100, 500, 1000 micg/ml concentrations of plant extract.Results: Different concentrations of M. Tenuiflora extract have different effects on multiplication of Leishmania protozoa in culture medium. Concentration of 1000 and 500 micg/ml suppressed multiplication of promastigotes but at a concentration of 100 micg/ml it accelerated growth of promastigotes.Conclusion: This finding suggested that M. tenuiflora extract contains both inhibitory and acceleratory effects on Leishmania growth in vitro.