**2.7 Antiparasitic effect**

The essential oil (EO) from the leaves and fruits of *P. lenticus* were tested against leishmanial species (*L. infantum*, *L. major,* and *L. tropica*) using MTT assay. Both of the tested samples demonstrated a variable degree of cytotoxic effect. The major constituents of leaves were myrcene, α pinene, while limonene and α-pinene constituted fruits essential oil. The EO of leaves demonstrated significant effect against *L. major* (IC50 = 17.52 ± 1.26 μg/mL) as compared to the EO of fruits (IC50 = 21.42 ± 2.92 μg/mL), while the EO of fruits exhibited more effect than

leaves against *L. infantum* (IC50 = 08 ± 0.83 μg/mL) than *P. lentiscus* leaves essential oils (IC50 = 11.28 ± 1.63 μg/mL) [16]. The extract of *P. khinjuk* demonstrated a significant *in vivo* and *in vitro* effects against *L. major* and *L. tropica* [30]. The fruits and leaves extract of *P. atlantica* and *P. vera* demonstrated a significant inhibition against hydatid cyst protoscolices [31, 32]. The essential oil of *P. vera* inhibited *in vitro* and *in vivo* leishmanial effect [33]. The essential oil of *P. lenticus* also demonstrated *anti-trichomonas vaginalis* trophozoites. The EO were tested at concentration range of 15, 10 and 5 mg/mL with different time duration of incubation. The morphological changes were monitored through TEM [34, 35]. A new antiparasitic agent (pistagremic acid) has been reported from the *P. integerrima* with IC50: 6.71 ± 0.09 μM against *Leishmania major* [36].
