Thymoquinone Effect on Leishmania Tropica/infantum and Leishmania-Infected Macrophages.

Leishmania is a parasitic protozoan that tries to enter and amplify within macrophages. Macrophage cells are also immune defense cells that phagocyte many microbes like bacteria, fungi, as well as parasites like Leishmania spp. However, they are unable to kill this parasite that resides in the phagosomes of contaminated macrophages and multiplies in these macrophages, leading to the destruction of contaminated macrophages and the emerging of Leishmania wounds. A large number of current therapies for Leishmania cure have adverse effects, or parasites have developed resistance to some of these therapies, so a better therapy for the cure of Leishmania is required. Thymoquinone is one of the Nigella Sativa ingredients with numerous biological effects, such as antioxidant as well as antimicrobial effects on a variety of microbes, namely fungi, bacteria, as well as parasites like Leishmania spp. The impacts of Thymoquinone on Leishmania tropica and Leishmania infantum, as well as Leishmania-infected macrophages, were examined in this study. The impact of various Thymoquinone dosages on L. tropica and L. infantum promastigotes and amastigotes was examined in vitro. Flow cytometry, as well as MTT, was also applied to examine the cytotoxic activity of Thymoquinone on promastigotes of L. tropica and L. infantum, as well as the incidence of apoptosis. The amastigote assay is also utilized to calculate the