1. In vivo and in vitro control of Leishmania mexicana due to garlic-induced NO production.
- Author
-
Gamboa-León MR, Aranda-González I, Mut-Martín M, García-Miss MR, and Dumonteil E
- Subjects
- Animals, Female, Flow Cytometry, Garlic chemistry, Interferon-gamma drug effects, Interferon-gamma immunology, Interferon-gamma metabolism, Leishmania mexicana, Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous immunology, Macrophages metabolism, Macrophages microbiology, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Nitric Oxide immunology, Plant Extracts immunology, Plant Extracts therapeutic use, T-Lymphocytes drug effects, T-Lymphocytes immunology, Garlic immunology, Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous drug therapy, Macrophages drug effects, Nitric Oxide biosynthesis, Phytotherapy
- Abstract
Leishmania mexicana is the main causal agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Yucatán peninsula in Mexico. Control of this disease is associated with a Th1-type immune response and garlic extract has been reported as a Th1 immunomodulator in BALB/c mice infected with Leishmania major. In this study, we investigated the effect of garlic extracts on L. mexicana infection in vivo and in vitro. Garlic extract reduced footpad lesions in L. mexicana-infected BALB/c mice by inducing IFN-gamma production from T cells. In vitro, garlic extract reduced macrophage infection through induction of nitric oxide (NO) production. Garlic extract may thus act on both T cells and macrophages to stimulate IFN-gamma production and NO synthesis for parasite killing. A 10- to 14-kDa fraction was identified as responsible for the in vitro effect of the whole extract and may lead to the identification of novel immunomodulating drugs and therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of leishmaniasis.
- Published
- 2007
- Full Text
- View/download PDF