Effect of Aqueous Extract of Nerium oleander and Melia azedarach Plants on the Morphology and Osmolarity of Leishmania tropica Promastigotes In Vitro

The study investigated the effect of LC50 and LC85 aqueous extract of Nerium oleander and Melia azedarach plants on the morphology and osmolarity of Leishmania tropica promastigotes grown on Tobie's medium, using the technique of determining of acid phosphatase activity and the potassium ion concentration in the medium at the log phase and the measurement of parasite lengths on the same day.
The results showed that the Leishmania tropica promastigotes treated with
LC85 of Nerium oleander had an increase in potassium ions which led to osmotic changes. The results also indicated that the Leishmania tropica promastigotes treated with LC50 and LC85 aqueous extracts of Melia azedarach changed the osmolarity which led to a noticeable swelling in the parasites.