In Vitro anti-Leishmania tropica activity of Ganoderma lucidum extracts

Abstract Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), which is caused by Leishmania tropica, continues to pose a considerable public health issue in endemic areas such as Iraq. The existing treatment options are constrained by their toxicity and the development of resistance, highlighting the need for safer alternatives. This research assessed the in vitro anti-leishmanial properties of aqueous extracts of Ganoderma lucidum (GL) against L. tropica. The parasites were obtained from cutaneous leishmaniasis patients in Baghdad and were verified using KDNA-PCR. Three concentrations of GL extract (50, 100, and 150 mg/mL) were evaluated on cultured promastigotes in NNN medium, with viability monitored hourly through erythrosine-B staining. The findings indicated that the destruction of parasites was both concentration- and time-dependent: a concentration of 50 mg/mL resulted in 50% mortality, while 100 mg/mL produced moderate effects. At 150 mg/mL, complete destruction was observed after 4 hours, in contrast to only 5.98% in the control group. KDNA-PCR analysis confirmed a diagnostic accuracy of 95% for L. tropica. These results underscore the strong in vitro effectiveness of GL, establishing it as a promising natural option for the treatment of CL. Additional in vivo research is necessary to confirm its therapeutic potential.