Antileishmanial Effect of Berberine and extracts of Berberis vulgaris on the Growth of Leishmanial Species

Abstract

The present investigation was revealed that the Berberine (0.01, 0.1, 1 mg/cm3), aqueous extracts and alcoholic extract (1,10,100 mg/cm3) of Berberis vulgaris roots were inhibitory on the growth of Leishmania tropica, L. donovani, and L. infantum promastigotes. High-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of the plant extracts proved to contain Berberine as an active compound. Berberine and B. vulgaris root extracts were caused a significant decrease in total nucleic acid contents of three leishmanial species, thus, considering to be an excellent agents for antileishmanial chemotherapy.