Inhibition of Leishmania amastigote growth by antipain and leupeptin.

Antipain and leupeptin were found to be potent inhibitors of the growth of Leishmania mexicana mexicana amastigotes in explanted mouse unstimulated peritoneal macrophages. Antipain at 100 mg l-1 reduced eight-fold the percentage of macrophages infected and to 5% of the control the number of amastigotes present after seven days incubation. At 1 mg l-1, antipain and leupeptin were as effective antileishmanial agents as pentamidine isethionate, all three stopping parasite multiplication over the seven-day incubation.