Investigation of the Cytotoxic Effects of Momordica Charantina Extract on Leishmania Parasites with Amphotericin B and Miltefosine Drug Combinations

Year 2024, , 1 - 7, 28.03.2024

Kübra Kelleci , Murat Ihlamur , Melisa Özkan , Emrah Şefik Abamor

https://doi.org/10.21605/cukurovaumfd.1459307

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a tropical disease caused by Leishmania parasites. It is known that L. infantum causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL), which is the deadliest form of the disease, popularly known as "kala-azar". Antileishmanial agents are already available in the market, but these chemotherapeutic agents are known to have toxicities and side effects. Interest in medicinal plants and their extracts is increasing day by day, with almost no side effects. In this study, bitter melon (Momordica charantina) extracts with rich chemical content and exhibiting anti-leishmanial properties were used to develop an effective drug formulation for leishmaniasis. In the study, the cytotoxic effect of bitter melon extracts alone or in combination with different antileishmanial drugs (Amphotericin B and miltefosine) was investigated in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. In addition, the lethal activity of the obtained extract-drug formulations on L. infantum parasite cells was also investigated by MTT analysis method. According to the data obtained from the study, it was determined that the extract did not have a toxic effect alone, when combined with the drug, it reduced the toxic effect of the drug on the cells of the innate immune system, and increased the cytotoxic effect on the leishmania parasites. It is thought that the results obtained will help to develop a treatment approach against VL.

Keywords

Leishmania infantum, Momordica charantina, Cytotoxicity, Antileishmanial

Momordica Charantina Ekstraktının Amfotericin B ve Miltefosin İlaç Kombinasyonları ile Leishmania Parazitleri Üzerindeki Sitotoksik Etkilerinin İncelenmesi

Abstract

Leishmaniasis, Leishmania parazitlerinin neden olduğu tropikal bir hastalıktır. Halk arasında “kala-azar” olarak bilinen, hastalığın en ölümcül formu olan viserial leishmaniasise (VL) L. infantum’un neden olduğu bilinmektedir. Piyasada hali hazırda antileishmanial ajanlar mevcuttur, ancak bu kemoterapötik ajanların toksisitelerinin ve yan etkilerinin olduğu bilinmektedir. Şifalı bitkiler ve onların ekstraktlarına olan ilgi, yan etkilerinin yok denecek kadar az olmasıyla her geçen gün artmaktadır. Bu çalışmada leishmaniasise yönelik etkin bir ilaç formülasyonu geliştirmek için, zengin kimyasal içeriğe sahip, anti-leishmanial özellik sergileyen kudret narı (Momordica charantina) özütleri kullanılmıştır. Çalışmada kudret narı ekstraktları tek başına ve farklı antileishmanial ilaçlarla (Amfoterisin B ve miltefosin) kombine edilerek RAW 264.7 makrofaj hücrelerinde sitotoksik etkisi araştırılmıştır. Ayrıca elde edilen ekstrakt-ilaç formülasyonlarının L. infantum parazit hücreleri üzerindeki öldürücü etkinliği de MTT analiz yöntemi ile incelenmiştir. Çalışmadan elde edilen verilere göre ekstraktın tek başına toksik etkisinin olmadığı, ilaçla kombine edildiği zaman doğal immün sistem hücreleri üzerinde ilacın toksik etkisini azalttığı, leishmania parazitleri üzerinde ise sitotoksik etkisini arttırdığı belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçların VL karşı tedavi yaklaşımının geliştirilmesine yardımcı olacağı düşünülmektedir.

Keywords

Leishmania infantum, Momordica charantina, Sitotoksisite, Antileishmanial

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