In vitro Investigation of Rutin-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles on Leishmania infantum Promastigotes

Leishmaniasis is a group of illnesses occasioned Leishmania (L.) parasites transmitted by the bites of infected female Phlebotominae class flies and it is endemic in 102 countries. It is seen worldwide, particularly in developing countries. In the present study, the antileishmanial efficacy of free rutin and nanoparticles formed by encapsulating flavonoid rutin in a polymer nanoparticle system on Leishmania infantum promastigotes were contrasted. The efficacy of rutin-loaded PLGA nanoparticles (RT)NPs on the proliferation of promastigote form of L. infantum parasites was examined for the first time by counting the in vitro antileishmanial activities of (RT)NPs using the MTT assay and counting on the thoma slide. It has been observed that (RT)NPs significant affect the proliferation of parasites at concentrations of 1000, 750, and 500 μg/ml at 72nd and 96th hours. The viability% value decreased 10-fold at 1000 μg/ml concentration of (RT)NPs. While the IC50 value of promastigote form of L. infantum parasites was 29.2 ± 4.5 μg/ml in the specimens treated with RT at varied concentrations, the IC50 value of promastigote form of L. infantum parasites was found to be 23.0 ± 2.7 µg/ml in the specimens treated with (RT)NPs. It was observed that the absorbance measurements of (RT)NPs were lower compared to RT at concentrations of 1000, 750, and 500 μg/ml at 48th hour.