In vitro antileishmanial activity of Adana propolis samples on Leishmania tropica: a preliminary study

• Published in: Parasitology research (1987) 2008-05, Vol.102 (6), p.1217-1225
• Main Authors: Duran, G, Duran, N, Culha, G, Ozcan, B, Oztas, H, Ozer, B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antiprotozoal Agents - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Cell Count; Cell Survival - drug effects; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models; Hymenoptera; Immunology; Invertebrates; Leishmania tropica - cytology; Leishmania tropica - drug effects; Leishmania tropica - growth & development; Medical Microbiology; Microbiology; Original Paper; Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; Propolis - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0932-0113; 1432-1955
• DOI: 10.1007/s00436-008-0896-5

Propolis (bee glue) is a natural resinous hive product, collected from various plant sources. It has attracted much attention as a useful substance applied in medicine due to its pharmacological activities. It was aimed to investigate the in vitro effects of an ethanolic extract of Adana propolis samples on the growth of Leishmania tropica. Parasite cells were treated with five concentrations (25, 50, 100, 50, 500, and 750 μg/ml) of the propolis. The number of promastigotes in each concentration was calculated using a hemocytometer slide at 24, 48, and 72 h after being harvested. In the experiments, it was determined that the concentrations up to 100 μg/ml of the propolis did not exhibit antileishmanial activity against the parasites cells. At these concentrations, there was no changes in terms of morphologically. In addition, there was no statistically significant difference in terms of cell count between control and these three groups (p > 0.05). However, in culture media containing the propolis samples at 250, 500, and 750-μg/ml concentrations, statistically significant differences in cell counts were observed, as compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Our results demonstrate that ethanolic extracts of Adana propolis samples reduce the proliferation of L. tropica parasites significantly.