Evaluation of in vitro anti-leishmaniasis activity of three marine species from Persian Gulf

Recently, the drugs with marine resources have been considered due to the lower costs and greater compatibility with patients. In the present study, the extracts of three marine organisms from the Persian Gulf; Holothuris parva, Ophiocoma scolopendrina and Echinometra matheai, were prepared and evaluated their in vitro anti-leishmaniasis effects.

All three marine organisms were collected from the coastal waters of Bushehr province and after separating their shell from the viscera, were extracted by percolation method using different solvents. All prepared extracts were evaluated for anti-leishmanial activity on Leishmania major promastigotes in vitro.

Statistical analysis showed that the extract type and the concentrations used (dose) had a very significant effect. Also, the dual interactions of extract and dose, extract and solvent, as well as the triple interaction of extract, solvent and dose were significant on the inhibitory rate. The highest anti-leishmanial activity was related to methanolic extracts of Holothuria Parvachr('39')s shell (88.65%) and Echinometra matheaichr('39')s viscera (87.48%) at 800μg/ml concentrations, and the lowest activity was obtained in aqueous extract of Ophiocoma scolopendrina (43.01%) at 20μg/ml concentration.

Considering the anti-leishmanial effects of all three marine organisms studied in this research, and the presence of their rich reserves in the Persian Gulf in another way, by performing a series of complementary studies in vivo and identifying the effective compounds of these extracts, efficient steps can be taken to produce effective drugs for the control and treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.