In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B

Abstract Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), classified as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), is a significant public health concern caused by Leishmania protozoa. It is transmitted through the bites of infected female sandflies and manifests in various forms, ranging from localized skin ulcers to social...

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Main Authors: Parisa Mousavi, Bahman Rahimi Esboei, Maryam Pourhajibagher, Azadeh Zolfaghari, Zabihollah Shahmoradi, Fatemeh Namdar, Somayyeh Ahmadi, Seyed Mahmood Mousavi, Fatemeh Parandin, Seyed Hossein Hejazi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2025-04-01
Series:AMB Express
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13568-025-01877-7
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author Parisa Mousavi
Bahman Rahimi Esboei
Maryam Pourhajibagher
Azadeh Zolfaghari
Zabihollah Shahmoradi
Fatemeh Namdar
Somayyeh Ahmadi
Seyed Mahmood Mousavi
Fatemeh Parandin
Seyed Hossein Hejazi
author_facet Parisa Mousavi
Bahman Rahimi Esboei
Maryam Pourhajibagher
Azadeh Zolfaghari
Zabihollah Shahmoradi
Fatemeh Namdar
Somayyeh Ahmadi
Seyed Mahmood Mousavi
Fatemeh Parandin
Seyed Hossein Hejazi
author_sort Parisa Mousavi
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), classified as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), is a significant public health concern caused by Leishmania protozoa. It is transmitted through the bites of infected female sandflies and manifests in various forms, ranging from localized skin ulcers to social stigma due to scarring. Numerous reports highlight the life-threatening side effects of glucantim, the first-line treatment for this disease, indicating a pressing need foralternative drugs. This experimental study aims to assess the anti-leishmanial effects of chitosan and chitosan- amphotericin B against Leishmania major (L. major) in vitro and in vivo. Chitosan and amphotricine B were purchased, and different concentrations were prepared. L. major promastigotes were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium. In vitro anti-leishmanial activity was assessed against the promastigotes of L. major using vital staining. For the in vivo assessment, lesion sizes were measured before and after ointment treatments in Bagg Albino mice (BALB/c). The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2 H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was utilized to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B at varying concentrations on the L929 cell line. Additionally, the in vitro hemolytic activity was measured using a spectrophotometric method. The in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that chitosan–amphotericin B exhibited superior inhibitory effects against L. major compared to either chitosan or amphotericin B alone, and even against the positive control, particularly at higher concentrations (P < 0.05). Furthermore, cytotoxicity tests indicated that both chitosan and amphotericin, whether used separately or in combination, had no cytotoxic effects on the L929 cell line or human blood samples in vitro and did not impact liver enzymes in vivo (P < 0.05). The findings from this in vitro and in vivo study highlighted the impressive anti-leishmanial effects of chitosan, which were further enhanced with the addition of amphotericin B.
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spelling doaj-art-1609eeb7fea040e6a99a21a7b1725dea2025-08-20T02:10:46ZengSpringerOpenAMB Express2191-08552025-04-0115111210.1186/s13568-025-01877-7In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin BParisa Mousavi0Bahman Rahimi Esboei1Maryam Pourhajibagher2Azadeh Zolfaghari3Zabihollah Shahmoradi4Fatemeh Namdar5Somayyeh Ahmadi6Seyed Mahmood Mousavi7Fatemeh Parandin8Seyed Hossein Hejazi9Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Parasitology, Toxoplasmosis Research Center, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical SciencesDental Research Center, Dentistry Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical SciencesSkin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesSkin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesNoncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Fasa University of Medical SciencesStudent Research Committee, Mazandaran University of Medical SciencesDepartment of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesResearch Center for Environmental Determinants of Health (RCEDH), Health Institute, Kermanshah University of Medical SciencesSkin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical SciencesAbstract Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), classified as a neglected tropical disease (NTD), is a significant public health concern caused by Leishmania protozoa. It is transmitted through the bites of infected female sandflies and manifests in various forms, ranging from localized skin ulcers to social stigma due to scarring. Numerous reports highlight the life-threatening side effects of glucantim, the first-line treatment for this disease, indicating a pressing need foralternative drugs. This experimental study aims to assess the anti-leishmanial effects of chitosan and chitosan- amphotericin B against Leishmania major (L. major) in vitro and in vivo. Chitosan and amphotricine B were purchased, and different concentrations were prepared. L. major promastigotes were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium. In vitro anti-leishmanial activity was assessed against the promastigotes of L. major using vital staining. For the in vivo assessment, lesion sizes were measured before and after ointment treatments in Bagg Albino mice (BALB/c). The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2 H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was utilized to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B at varying concentrations on the L929 cell line. Additionally, the in vitro hemolytic activity was measured using a spectrophotometric method. The in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that chitosan–amphotericin B exhibited superior inhibitory effects against L. major compared to either chitosan or amphotericin B alone, and even against the positive control, particularly at higher concentrations (P < 0.05). Furthermore, cytotoxicity tests indicated that both chitosan and amphotericin, whether used separately or in combination, had no cytotoxic effects on the L929 cell line or human blood samples in vitro and did not impact liver enzymes in vivo (P < 0.05). The findings from this in vitro and in vivo study highlighted the impressive anti-leishmanial effects of chitosan, which were further enhanced with the addition of amphotericin B.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13568-025-01877-7Anti-leishmanialLeishmania majorCytotoxicityChitosanAmphotericin B
spellingShingle Parisa Mousavi
Bahman Rahimi Esboei
Maryam Pourhajibagher
Azadeh Zolfaghari
Zabihollah Shahmoradi
Fatemeh Namdar
Somayyeh Ahmadi
Seyed Mahmood Mousavi
Fatemeh Parandin
Seyed Hossein Hejazi
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B
AMB Express
Anti-leishmanial
Leishmania major
Cytotoxicity
Chitosan
Amphotericin B
title In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B
title_full In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B
title_fullStr In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B
title_full_unstemmed In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B
title_short In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan–amphotericin B
title_sort in vitro and in vivo evaluation of the leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activities of chitosan and chitosan amphotericin b
topic Anti-leishmanial
Leishmania major
Cytotoxicity
Chitosan
Amphotericin B
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13568-025-01877-7
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