Harmine: evaluation of its antileishmanial properties in various vesicular delivery systems

Harmine, a beta-carboline amine alkaloid isolated from Peganum harmala, was tested for its antileishmanial properties both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro antileishmanial activity of harmine was encouraging and prompted us to confirm the activity in vivo in hamster models. Harmine was tested both in free form and in different vesicular forms viz. liposomes, niosomes and nanoparticles. The different vesicles were prepared by the published protocols. The percent intercalation of harmine in liposomes, niosomes and nanoparticles was found to be 65, 60 and 20, respectively, when determined at 325 nm (epsilon(M) =2.33 x 10 M(-1) cm(-1)). At an equivalent dose of 1.5 mg/kg body weight, injected subcutaneously (SC) for a total of six doses in 15 days, harmine was found to reduce spleen parasite load by approximately 40, 60, 70 and 80%, respectively in free, liposomal, niosomal and nanoparticular forms. An inverse relationship could be established between the efficacy in the lowering of spleen parasite load and the size of the vesicles. Specific biochemical tests related to normal liver and kidney functions revealed that the toxicity of the drug was reduced in the vesicular forms in the same order as their efficacy and the same was confirmed by the histopathological studies of splenic sections. Cell cycle analysis studies using flow cytometry suggested that although harmine interferes in the cell division stage, it does not induce apoptosis in Leishmania donovani promastigotes. The results using Confocal Microscopy supported that the cell death could be attributed to necrosis due to non-specific membrane damage. Even then, because of its appreciable efficacy in destroying intracellular parasites as well as non-hepatotoxic and non-nephrotoxic nature, harmine, in the vesicular forms, may be considered for clinical application in humans.