Evaluation of the antimalarial and antileishmanial activity of plants from the Greek island of Crete

Different parts of 65 plant species from the Greek island of Crete have been extracted and the 249 extracts obtained have been investigated for in-vitro antiprotozoal activity. Their activity against chloroquine-sensitive (D6) and resistant (W2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania donovani promastigotes was determined. Their cytotoxicity on a mammalian kidney fibroblast (Vero) cell line was also tested. Dichloromethane and methanol extracts of Berberis cretica and methanol extracts of Cytinus hypocistis subsp. hypocistis, C. hypocistis subsp. orientalis, and C. ruber had significant activity against both strains of P. falciparum (IC50 < 10 mu g mL(-1)). Dichloromethane extracts of Eryngium ternatum, Origanum dictamnus, and Origanum microphyllum, and the methanolic extract of Eryngium amorginum had significant activity against Leishmania donovani (IC50 < 10 mu g mL(-1)). None of the extracts was cytotoxic.