{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,7]],"date-time":"2026-03-07T22:14:23Z","timestamp":1772921663178,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"Microbiology Society","issue":"10","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2014,10,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne parasitic disease targeting tissue macrophages. It is among the most neglected infectious diseases. As available therapeutics for treatment of this disease have many side effects, there is a need for safer alternatives. One of the immunopathological consequences of active visceral leishmaniasis is suppression of protective T-helper (Th)-1 cells and induction of disease-promoting Th-2 cells, and thus the treatment of VL relies on immunomodulation. In the current study, herbal drugs derived as whole-plant extracts of<jats:italic>Asparagus racemosus<\/jats:italic>and<jats:italic>Withania somnifera<\/jats:italic>were used to treat<jats:italic>Leishmania donovani<\/jats:italic>-infected BALB\/c mice. Keeping the scenario of immunosuppression during VL in mind, the potential of these drugs in the restoration of murine Th-1-type protective immune responses was evaluated. To investigate the propensity of these drugs to treat VL, liver parasite load, delayed-type hypersensitivity responses and parasite-specific immunoglobulin levels were studied. Various biochemical and haematological tests were also carried out. A positive-control group used the standard drug treatment of sodium stibogluconate. Treatment of infected mice with<jats:italic>A. racemosus<\/jats:italic>and<jats:italic>W. somnifera<\/jats:italic>in combination at the higher dose of 200 mg (kg body weight)<jats:sup>\u22121<\/jats:sup>not only resulted in a successful reduction in parasite load but also generated protective Th1-type immune responses with normalization of biochemical and haematological parameters, suggesting their potential as potent anti-leishmanial agents.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1099\/jmm.0.072694-0","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2014,8,1]],"date-time":"2014-08-01T03:33:48Z","timestamp":1406864028000},"page":"1328-1338","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Protection against experimental visceral leishmaniasis by immunostimulation with herbal drugs derived from Withania somnifera and Asparagus racemosus"],"prefix":"10.1099","volume":"63","author":[{"given":"Sukhbir","family":"Kaur","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Kalpana","family":"Chauhan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Heena","family":"Sachdeva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"345","reference":[{"key":"r1","first-page":"795","article-title":"Antioxidant and hepatoprotective action of Asparagus racemosus Willd. root extracts","volume":"50","author":"Acharya","year":"2012","journal-title":"Indian J Exp Biol"},{"key":"r2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fct.2006.11.014"},{"key":"r3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1016\/S0255-0857(21)01771-0","article-title":"Visceral leishmaniasis simulating chronic liver disease: successful treatment with miltefosine","volume":"27","author":"Avasthi","year":"2009","journal-title":"Indian J Med Microbiol"},{"key":"r4","first-page":"238","article-title":"Immune response to Leishmania infection","volume":"119","author":"Awasthi","year":"2004","journal-title":"Indian J Med Res"},{"key":"r5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.4049\/jimmunol.174.11.7160"},{"key":"r6","first-page":"42","article-title":"Chemo protective action of Asparagus racemosus against cyclophosphamide induced toxicity","volume":"2","author":"Begum","year":"2011","journal-title":"Res J Pharm Biol Chem Sci"},{"key":"r7","first-page":"62","article-title":"Epidemiology of visceral leishmaniasis in India","volume":"12","author":"Bora","year":"1999","journal-title":"Natl Med J India"},{"key":"r8","first-page":"119","article-title":"Regulation of Leishmania populations within the host. 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