Abstract
Antipain and leupeptin were found to be potent inhibitors of the growth of Leishmania mexicana mexicana amastigotesin explanted mouse unstimulated peritoneal macrophages. Antipain at 100mg 1−1 reduced eight-fold the percentage of macrophages infected and to 5 % of the control the number of amastigotes present after seven days incubation. At 1 mg 1−1, antipain and leupeptin were as effective antileishmanial agents as pentamidine isethionate, all three stopping parasite multiplication over the seven-day incubation.