Assessment of Spring Leaf Extract of Artemisia aucheri Effects on Leishmania tropica/infantum

Background: Leishmania infection is a serious worldwide health concern that is caused by various types of Leishmania parasite genus. Current therapies for this disease, including pentavalent antimonial complexes, are not safe and do not have enough efficacy. The Artemisia aucheri spring leaf extract has been reported to have antimicrobial effects on a variety of pathogens. Objective: This study aimed to find how a spring leaf extract of A. aucheri affects Leishmania tropica and infantum. Materials and Methods: After culturing macrophages and L. tropica and infantum in enriched the Roswell Park Memorial Institute (RPMI) 1640 culture medium with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS), the impacts of different dosages of A. aucheri spring extracts on L. tropica, as well as L. infantum promastigotes were evaluated in vitro. In addition, 2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide was used to assess the cytotoxicity of the extract on parasites and macrophages. Eventually, flow cytometry with annexin staining was performed to evaluate the potential of apoptosis induction in L. tropica/infantum. Results: The flow cytometry test results showed the amount of apoptosis was 22.28% for L. tropica and L. infantum parasites. The spring leaf extract of A. aucheri inhibitory concentration was 15.17 and 9.13 for L. tropica and L. infantum, respectively. Conclusion: Overall, A. aucheri spring extracts revealed a good in-vitro anti-leishmania effect on L. tropica and L. infantum promastigotes.