Tehran University of Medical Sciences Iranian Journal of Parasitology 1735-7020 19 2 2024 06 09 238 246 Sedigheh Shirmohammad Iranian Research Center of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Iran Mahdi Mohebali 1. Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran 2. Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Fateme Arabkhazaeli Iranian Research Center of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uni-versity of Tehran, Iran Jalal Hassan Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran David Shayan Institute Molecular Biological System Transfer (MBST), Tehran, Iran Narges Amininia Iranian Research Center of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Uni-versity of Tehran, Iran Parviz Shayan Iranian Research Center of Ticks and Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Iran 2023 09 23 2024 01 06 Background: Curcumin is an extract of rhizome turmeric (diferuloylmethane), with antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-parasitic properties, which making it a potential candidate for the treatment of leishmaniasis. The aim of the presented study was to evaluate curcumin as possible candidate for treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.  Methods: We investigated the physicochemical properties and anti-leishmanial effects of nanoliposomal curcumin (40, 80, and 120 μM) in Leishmania major (MRHO/IR/75/ER) infected BALB/c mice at the faculty of Veterinary Medicinem University of Tehran, Iran. For this aim, L. major promastigotes (MHROM/IR/75/ER) at stationary phase (2×106) were inoculated sub-cutaneously into the upper area of the tail in BALB/c mice (six groups, n= 10 per group). For evaluation of nanoliposomal curcumin, the zeta potential, particle size and stability of nanoliposomal curcumin was determined. Furthermore, the anti-leishmanial effects of nanoliposomal curcumin formulation on the lesion sizes was determined and the parasite burden in the leishmania induced lesion was performed using semi quantitative PCR. Results: Treatment of L. major infected BALB/c mice with nanoliposomal curcumin led to a reduction in the kinetic of the skin lesion size development. The semi quantitative PCR analysis of DNA extracted from the lesions showed reduction of parasite burden. The most effective treatment could be found in 80 μM nanoliposomal curcumin. Treatment with Glucantime, as a positive control, also showed a nearly similar effect compared to the effect of 80 μM nanoliposomal curcumin. Conclusion: Nanoliposomal curcumin could be considered as a potential drug against cutaneous leishmaniasis caused by L. major in susceptible animal models. https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/view/4045 https://ijpa.tums.ac.ir/index.php/ijpa/article/download/4045/1361