ASSESSMENT STUDY FOR THE ACTIVITY OF SPECIFIC ALGAL EXTRACTS IN THE TREATMENT OF CUTANEOUS LEISHMANIASIS IN MAYSAN GOVERNORATE

The results of the current study recorded an assessment of the biological activity of the methanolic extract of two types of green algae: Enteromorpha intestinal and Cladophora crispata against the parasite L.major cutaneous leishmaniasis in vitro using BALB/c mice (males and females) and compared it with Pentostam. Mice were brought at an age ranging between 2-3 months and weighing between 30-35 grams obtained from the animal house at the Faculty of Science, University of Maysan. The results of the current study in vitro showed that the concentration of 2 g/ml methanolic extract of C. crispata was more efficient in reducing the number of parasites compared to Pentostam and the control group at a rate of (15.078, 10.720, and 18.679) parasites/ µm, after 72 hours of the experiment. As for the methanolic extract of E. intestinal, the percentage of decrease in the number of parasites was (19.316, 17.303, and 21.312) parasites/ µm for the same concentration and time. The results of the in vivo study showed that treatment with the methanolic extract of C. crispate was the best in treating cutaneous leishmaniasis lesions during the treatment periods, using several treatments compared with the control group, which recorded an arithmetic mean of 4.88 ± 0.36 cm. The group treated with Pentostam 120mg/kg recorded 3.1±0.29 cm compared to the control. Conversely, C.craspata recorded 10% more efficiency than Pentostam with an average lesion diameter of 2.85±0.28 cm, this efficiency was increased by increasing the concentration by 20% for the algae to record 1.85 ± 0.35 cm compared to the control treatments. The alga E.intestinals (10, and 20%) also recorded significant therapeutic efficacy to reduce the effects of ulceration caused by Leishmania infection, recording 3.76 ± 0.22 cm and 3.7 ± 0.27 cm, respectively. However, Vaseline did not record any significant differences compared to the control and according to the value of LSD. The cure was achieved when ulceration was treated with C.crispata extract 20%, as the highest cure rates were recorded in 9 out of 10 cases, with a partial improvement rate of 1 case. Followed by the group treated with C. crispata extract. crispata 10%, which was represented by 7 cases, and the partial improvement was 3 cases. The group treated with Pentostam recorded a cure rate of 5 cases and a partial improvement rate of 4 cases. As for the Vaseline group and the group treated with the algal extract E.intestinalis 10% and E.intestinalis 20%, the highest non-cure rates were recorded with (10, 7, and 5) cases, respectively. The cure rate, partial improvement, and no cure were recorded for those with cutaneous leishmaniasis, and those treated with C.crispata, E.intetinalis, and Vaseline, as it was shown that C.crispata 10% recorded a cure rate of 7%, followed by C.crispata 10 with a cure rate of 9%. Finally, the alga E.intetinalis recorded 10% non-cure by 7%, and then 20% E.intetinalis, which recorded 5% non-cure, 3% partial improvement, and 2% cure, while Vaseline recorded no cure and by 10%.