Evaluation the effect of Rumex alcoholic extract against cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania major in Balb/c mice

Cutaneous leishmaniasis is an endemic disease in many countries, including Iran. Pentavalent antimony compounds used to treat this disease is associated with adverse effects for patients. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of the alcoholic extract of Rumex on experimental lesion of Leishmania major in Bulb/C mice.
In this study, thirty mice were divided into 6 groups A to F, 5 mice in each group, and then inoculated subcutaneously at the base of the tail with 0.1 ml of active Leishmania major promastigotes standard strain (MRHO/IR/75/ER). Cutaneous lesions were appeared approximately after 3 weeks. Three different concentrations of Rumex seeds alcoholic extract (0.3, 0.5 and 0.9) was used as an injection to Group D-F. Three others groups were considered as control, Group A was not received any treatment, Groups B and C were received ethanol alone and glucantime respectively. All injections were performed 2 times a day for 15 days and every week the lesion diameter was measured in all groups. The number of parasites in the lesions stained smears were examined under a microscope. Information were recorded and analyzed by using one – away Anova test and tukeys test.
The mean diameter of lesions was decreased in concentration of 9 mg /ml after 5 week and complete healing was observed in this group. Also the parasitic load was decreased significantly in comparison with glucantime injected group (p≤0.05).
The results suggest that the effective concentration of the herbs mentioned in this article (9 mg/ml) will be used on human cutaneuos leishmaniasis.