AN IN VITRO INVESTIGATION ON THE INHIBITORY EFFECTS OF FOUR DIFFERENT SPECIES OF VINCA EXTRACTS ON LEISHMANIA MAJOR

Abstract

Vinca minor, Vinca major, Vinca variegata and Vinca rosea are different species of Vinca genus, of Apocynaceae family. In addition to ornamental applications, they are placed in the group of medicinal plants , because of the various alkaloids they possess. The purpose of this research was the investigation of the antileishmanial effects of the methanolic and crude extracts of leaves and stems of these four plant species on L.major promastigotes in vitro. The results showed that the methanolic extracts of all four species induced a significant decrease in the number of L.major promastigotes in different degrees and an increase in concentration and exposure time would destroy the parasites completely.