Evaluation of the antimalarial and antileishmanial activity of plants from the Greek island of Crete

Abstract

Different parts of 65 plant species from the Greek island of Crete have been extracted and the 249 extracts obtained have been investigated for in-vitro antiprotozoal activity. Their activity against chloroquine-sensitive (D6) and resistant (W2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania donovani promastigotes was determined. Their cytotoxicity on a mammalian kidney fibroblast (Vero) cell line was also tested. Dichloromethane and methanol extracts of Berberis cretica and methanol extracts of Cytinus hypocistis subsp. hypocistis, C. hypocistis subsp. orientalis, and C. ruber had significant activity against both strains of P. falciparum (IC 50 <10 lg mL -1 ). Dichloromethane extracts of Eryngium ternatum, Origanum dictamnus, and Origanum microphyllum, and the methanolic extract of Eryngium amorginum had significant activity against Leishmania donovani (IC 50 <10 lg mL -1 ). None of the extracts was cytotoxic.

Antileishmanial Activity of Natural Diterpenes from Cistus sp. and Semisynthetic Derivatives Thereof

“…creticus and Cistus monspeliensis possess significant antileishmanial activity. 4) In a continuation of our research for discovering new antileishmanial agents or new lead compounds, we have focused on the isolation of active compounds from these plants that have shown to possess activity.…”

“…4) Some of the active plant extracts were from different species of the genus Cistus. Cistus species are widespread in the Mediterranean basin, especially in Greece which is represented by six taxa.…”

<i>In vivo</i> Antimalarial Activity of Methanol and Water Extracts of <i>Eryngium thorifolium</i> Boiss (Apiaceae Family) against <i>P. berghei</i> in Infected Mice

“…The aerial parts of E. campestre, E. creticum, E. maritimum and E. ternatum were investigated and no significant in vitro antiplasmodial or cytotoxic activity was recorded for the mentioned species [13]. To the best of our knowledge, there is only one scientific report on biological activity of E. thorifolium.…”

Evaluation of anti-leishmanial and antibacterial activity of <i>Waldheimia tomentosa</i> (Asteraceae), and chemical profiling of the most bioactive fraction

“…S. aureus with W. tomentosa n-Hex fraction (2b) can be seen with blebs and distortions at 30000 x magnification considered as potent while, 100 -625 μg/mL represent moderate activity [19]. The antibacterial activity evaluated against Grampositive and three Gram-negative clinical isolates identified n-Hex fraction of W. tomentosa possessing maximum potency against S. aureus with maximum zone of inhibition (ZI) of 24.1 ± 0.3 mm, followed by Acinetobacter sp.…”