Background and purpose: Leishmania is flagellated protozoa and causative agent of leishmaniosis. It is one of the main public health problems in developing countries. Cantharidin is terpenoid component that exists in Meloidae and Oedemeridae beetles. Cantharidin is vesicant and could induce apoptosis in cancerous cells. This study was performed to determine the role of cantharidin in inducing apoptosis in the Leishmania promastigotes and macrophages infected with parasite. Materials and methods: In this experimental study the effect of cantharidin was evaluated at concentration range of 0.5-50 µg/mL on the L. major promastigotes and concentration range of 5, 20 and 50µg/mL on macrophages infected with L. major after 24, 48 and 72hrs by flow cytometry assay. Results: Results showed that cantharidin with concentration levels of 50 µg/mL and 0.5 µg/mL has 68.50% cytotoxicity (as 63.23% apoptosis, 5.27% late apoptosis and 0% necrosis) and 14.29% cytotoxicity (as 13.12% apoptosis, 1.12% late apoptosis and 0.05% necrosis) in promastigotes after 72hrs, respectively. Cytotoxicity 0.5 µg/mL and 50 µg/mL cantharidin in infected macrophages after 48hrs was 61.81% (as 43.42% apoptosis, 1.27% late apoptosis and 17.11% necrosis) and 44.44% (as 31.05% apoptosis, 10.08% necrosis and 3.31% late apoptosis), respectively. Cytotoxicity of 50µg/mL and 5µg/mL cantharidin in non-infected macrophages after 48hrs was also 49.34% (as 21.35% apoptosis, 4.23% late apoptosis and 23.76% necrosis) and 43.79% (as 34.90% apoptosis, 7.27% necrosis and 1.61% late apoptosis), respectively. Conclusion: This research indicates that cantharidin at different concentration and times could induce apoptosis in L. major promastigotes and macrophages infected with amastigotes.

Keywords: Apoptosis, cantharidin, flow cytometry, Leishmania major

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