Nigella damascena L. (Ranunculaceae) originates from Magreb's countries (Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt) and from the Middle Orient (Syria). In these countries the seeds are venerated by all the Muslim people and thus they are quoted in the Koran for their therapeutic effects.
Materials and methods: We evaluated the effects of different extracts isolated from Nigellae damascenae semen and Nigellae damascenae herba on three types of cells: THP1 cells (human monocytes which were used for evaluating the toxicity of the extracts) and two different forms of Leishmania infatum: promastigote cells and amastigote cells.
Results: Dichlormethanic extracts isolated from Nigellae damascenae semen and Nigellae damascenae herba were active on Leishmania promastigotes.
Conclusions: Dichlormethanic extracts could be an alternative to the therapy based on pentamidine and amphotericin B.