The effect of liposome-entrapped desferrioxamine on Leishmania donovani in vitro

Abstract

Desferrioxamine was tested in vitro for activity against promastigotes of Leishmania donovani. In addition, the effects of liposome-encapsulated desferrioxamine and free desferrioxamine on macrophages infected with amastigotes of L donovani were compared. The drug was added to the culture medium for three days, and the results were compared with several controls; the drug solvent, empty liposomes, and desferrioxamine which had been re-ferrated with an equimolar concentration of ferric ammonium sulphate. Desferrioxamine was found to be inactive against growing promastigotes at the highest concentration used, 50 μg ml⁻¹. On the other hand, 44% and 60% of amastigotes were eliminated when macrophages infected with L. donovani were exposed to 50 μg ml⁻¹ of free or liposome-encapsulated desferrioxamine respectively.