In vitro and in vivo anti-leishmanial activity of chlorpromazine alone and combined with N-meglumine antimonate.

Chlorpromazine (CPZ) was effective in vitro against leishmanial promastigotes and amastigotes. CPZ at 7.5 micrograms ml-1 killed the promastigotes of Leishmania mexicana, L. aethiopica and L. major within 24 hours of exposure. A higher concentration was required to achieve the same effect against L. donovani. N-meglumine antimonate (MGA) was only partially effective against the promastigotes of the four strains studied. Even at 1000 micrograms ml-1 total destruction of the parasites did not occur within four days of treatment. Combination chemotherapy of CPZ and MGA generally showed an additive effect against promastigotes. However, a synergistic effect was observed in the case of L. donovani promastigotes and L. major amastigotes in vitro. No significant effect was obtained against the amastigotes of L. major and L. mexicana in vivo, in cutaneous lesions of BALB/c mice.