اثر لواميزول بر مهار ليشمانيا ماژور در موش BALB/C

The effect of levamisole in inhibition of Leishmania major in BALB/c mice

Background and purpose: The infection of Leishmania major in BALBIc mice can be visceralized if no treatment is administrated. The mamalian host cells are macrophages that are responsible for ingestion and killing of the parasites. Since leishmaniasis is an immunosuppressive disease, it has been shown that levamisole acts as an immuno-potentiator agent, attempts were made to study the effect of levamisole on the course of visceral lieshmaniasis in BALB/c mice infected with L.major. Materials and methods: Levamisole is administrated i.p. (1,2.5 and 5 mg/kg) 4hr before and 2 weeks after the challenge .The lesion size, delayed type hypersensitivity and parasite ingestion by macrophages were assessed. Results: It was shown that levamisole significantly reduced the lesion size and mortality in treated mice. In addition, it was demonstrated that parasite uptake was increased in mice receiving 2.5 mg/kg levamisole Conclusion: Conclusively, in this study it was shown that levamisole is able to control visceral leishmaniasis caused by L. major in BALE/c mice.