Anti-Leishmanial Activity (In Vitro and In Vivo) of Allicin and Allicin Cream Using Leishmania major (Sub-strain Zymowme LON4) and Balb/c Mice
Abstract
Background
Leishmania is a unicellular protozoan parasite that produces several human diseases, ranging
from localized self-healing cutaneous lesions to deadly visceral infections.
Objective
The effect of allicin on the growth of Leishmania major (L. major) promastigotes was evaluated
under in vitro conditions. Moreover, the efficacy of a topical allicin cream was examined
in BALB/c (Bagg albino, laboratory-bred strain of the House Mouse) mice with
cutaneous leishmanial lesions compared to the currently used drug, sodiumstibogluconate
(pentostam).
Methods
Cytotoxiciy and promastigote proliferation were measured. Different concentrations (50,
100, 150, and 200 μM) of liquid allicin were tested on L. major promastigotes twice: after 24
and 48 hours using an MTT colorimetric assay. In the in vivo condition, the efficacies of allicin
cream and liquid allicin at two concentrations (0.15 μM/mouse and 0.30 μM/mouse)
were evaluated. Serum factors of the control and treated groups were tested to evaluate the
toxic effects of allicin on the liver and kidney.
Results
Allicin at a concentration of 50 μM inhibited the growth of Leishmania promastigotes. Topical
application of allicin cream reduced lesion sizes in mice. No significant differences in biochemical
analysis were observed between the control and treated groups.
PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0161296 August 18, 2016 1 / 11
a11111
OPEN ACCESS
Citation: Metwally DM, Al-Olayan EM, El-Khadragy
MF, Alkathiri B (2016) Anti-Leishmanial Activity (In
Vitro and In Vivo) of Allicin and Allicin Cream Using
Leishmania major (Sub-strain Zymowme LON4) and
Balb/c Mice. PLoS ONE 11(8): e0161296.
doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0161296
Editor: Bhaskar Saha, National Centre For Cell
Science, INDIA
Received: September 29, 2015
Accepted: July 31, 2016
Published: August 18, 2016
Copyright: © 2016 Metwally et al. This is an open
access article distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any
medium, provided the original author and source are
credited.
Data Availability Statement: All relevant data are
within the paper and its Supporting Information files.
Funding: This research project was supported by a
grant from the research center of the Center for
Female Scientific and Medical Colleges in King Saud
University.
Competing Interests: The authors have declared
that no competing interests exist.
Conclusions
Allicin has antileishmanial effects under in vitro and in vivo conditions and may be used in
