Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease with increasing incidence and limited effective treatment options, necessitating the
exploration of new therapeutic agents from natural sources. This study aimed to investigate the phytochemical composition and in vitro
antileishmanial activity of the hexane extract of Dieffenbachia seguine (Jacq.) Schott aerial parts. The plant material was collected from
Kirkuk, Iraq and extracted using hexane via maceration. Phytochemical screening was performed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and
gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Thin-layer chromatography analysis confirmed the presence of key phytosterols and
triterpenes, including β-sitosterol, stigmasterol and lupeol. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis revealed various bioactive
compounds such as fatty acids, esters, phytol, γ-tocopherol (vitamin E) and several sterols. The antileishmanial activity was evaluated against
Leishmania tropica promastigotes using the 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, with sodium
stibogluconate as a positive control. Hexane extract exhibited moderate to significant inhibitory activity, with a maximum inhibition rate of
80 % at 4000 μg/mL. The IC₅₀ value was determined to be 94.837 μg/mL. These findings indicate that D. seguine hexane extract is rich in nonpolar
bioactive compounds, particularly sterols and terpenoids, which may contribute to its antileishmanial activity. This study provides the
first evidence supporting the potential use of D. seguine as a source of antileishmanial agents and highlights the need for further research to
isolate and characterise its active constituents for drug development.
| Intend to be published in the IJPS ? | NO |
|---|---|
| Has the manuscript been published | published |
