Therapeutic effect of genipin on leishmaniasis

What is it about?

One of the mechanism of host immune evasion by the vicious parasite, L. donovani involves exploitation of the host negative regulatory protein, UCP2. The natural immunomodulator, genipin inhibits parasite-induced UCP2 levels and negates the effect of the parasite on the generation of ROS. The study exhibits that induction of ROS production on genipin treatment shifted the Th1/Th2 immune balance to the disease resolving Th1 state in a ROS/MAPK dependent manner. Moreover, genipin treatment despite having no direct effect on the promastigote or the axenic amastigote form of the parasite yet resulted in a reduction in the parasite numbers within the macrophage. Combination of genipin with sub-lethal doses of SAG exhibited synergism and can be used as a potent therapeutic approach against the menace of visceral leishmaniasis.

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Why is it important?

The study unravels a potent therapy against visceral leishmaniasis wherein treatment of the natural immunomodulator, genipin targets a host negative regulatory protein (exploited by the parasite as a survival strategy ). The study also suggests a futuristic therapeutic approach of combining such immunomodulators along with other frontline drugs like SAG in a synergistic manner.