Open Access

ARTICLE

Safflower (Carthamus Tinctorius L.) a Potential Source of Drugs against Cryptococcal Infections, Malaria and Leishmaniasis

Aknur Turgumbayeva^1,2, Gulbaram Ustenova¹, Ubaidilla Datkhayev¹, Khairolla Rahimov³, Silvijus Abramavicius^4,5, Agile Tunaityte^4,*, Kairat Zhakipbekov^1,6, Kaldanay Kozhanova¹, Saken Tulemissov⁷, OzikhanUstenova⁸, Gulmira Datkayeva⁹, Edgaras Stankevicius^1,10
1 School of Pharmacy, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
2 National Center for Natural Product Research, University of Mississippi, MS, 38677, USA
3 Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Asfendiyarov Kazakh National Medical University, Almaty, 050000, Kazakhstan
4 Institute of Physiology and Pharmacology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, LT, 44307, Lithuania
5 Intensive Care Unit, Republican Vilnius University Hospital, Vilnius, 04130, Lithuania
6 Department of Pharmaceutical Disciplines, Astana Medical University, Astana, 010000, Kazakhstan
7 Department of Chemistry and Biology, Kazakhstan University of Peoples friendship, Shymkent, 160000, Kazakhstan
8 Sub-Faculty of Tourism and Service, Narxoz University, Almaty, 050035, Kazakhstan
9 Department of General Clinical Disciplines and Ambulance, Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Turkestan, 161200, Kazakhstan
10 Institute of Cardiology, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Kaunas, LT, 44307, Lithuania
* Corresponding Author: Agilė Tunaitytė. Email:

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2020, 89(1), 137-146. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2020.07665

Received 21 June 2019; Accepted 18 September 2019; Issue published 01 March 2020

Abstract

In this research we present that Carthamus Tinctorius L. (gen. Asteraceae, otherwise known as Safflower) (Fig. 1) may contain agents active in Cryptococcal infections, malaria and Leishmaniasis, as treatment options are becoming scarce due to drug resistance development. Phytochemistry and pharmacological activities (antimicrobial, antimalarial, antileishmanial) of C. tinctorius L. were analyzed. The composition of volatile oil of safflower dried flowers was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry with flame ionization detector (GC-FID) and in vitro sensitivity assays were performed to assess biological activity. 8 known and 3 unknown compounds were detected in the extract (Fig. 1). Then the Safflower ointment was manufactured and its acute toxicity study on rats was tested. The volatile oil of C. tinctorius L exhibited activity against Cryptococcus neoformans, Plasmodium falciparum and Leishmania donovani. Safflower volatile oil has anticryptococcal, antimalarial and antileishmanial effects. The prepared ointment had an excellent acute toxicity safety profile.

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Keywords

Carthamus tinctorius L.; Safflower; volatile oil; GC-FID; biological activity

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