S650 Indian Journal of Pharmaceutical Education and Research |Vol 53 | Issue 4 (Suppl) | Oct-Dec, 2019 Original Artcle www.ijper.org Potential Effect of Steroidal Alkaloids from Sarcococca saligna against Leishmania tropica Naeem Ullah Jan 1, *, Bashir Ahmad 2 , Muhammad Kifayatullah 1 , Haroon Rahim 1 , Fazli Amin 1 1 Department of Pharmacy, Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar, PAKISTAN. 2 Centre of Biotechnology and Microbiology, University of Peshawar, Peshawar, PAKISTAN. ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: Sarcococca species have a rich source of steroidal alkaloids that possess different biological and pharmacological activities. Hence, present research was design to isolate the steroidal alkaloid from Sarcococca saligna and to evaluate it for in-vitro antileishmanial activity. Materials and Methods: Compound Holaphylline and Saracodine were isolated through column chromatography followed by spectroscopic techniques for elucidation and were assayed against promastigotes of Leishmania tropica. Results: Saracodine compound eliminates 71.12%, 63.9%, 54.18% and 38.88% of the promastigotes at concentration 100 µM; 75 µM, 50 µM and (25 µM). While, the elimination of promastigotes with compound holaphylline were 82.5%, 76.68%, 65%, 47.22% respectively as compared to untreated group. Conclusion: In present study, compound Holaphylline and Saracodine exhibited inhibition against the promastigotes and justifed the claimed medicinal importance of Sarcococca saligna as a remedy for leishmaniasis especially against Leishmania tropica. Key words: Sarcococca saligna, Holaphylline, Saracodine, Leishmania tropica, Promastigotes, Chloroform extract. DOI: 10.5530/ijper.53.4s.161 Correspondence: Dr. Naeem Ullah Jan, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty Life Sciences, Sarhad University of Science and In- formation Technology, Pesha- war, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, PAKISTAN. Phone: +92 333 7489718 E-mail: numan2001@hotmail. com Submission Date: 09-07-2019; Revision Date: 27-09-2019; Accepted Date: 04-10-2019 INTRODUCTION The genus Leishmania is a protozoan para- site that is mainly responsible for a group of leishmaniasis diseases in mammal and almost affects 15 million of worldwide population particularly children followed by young adults. 1 L. donovani, L. amazonesis, L. maxicana, L. chagasi, L. tropica are the main types of leishmania species. 2 This disease is being claimed as one of the most public health care burden in subtropical and tropi- cal region of Africa, Asia, Central and South America and Mediterranean regions. 2 Liver, bone marrow, spleen and lymph nodes are the main organs affected with these para- sites and if left untreated might be fatal as reported in literature. 3 Proven treatments against leishmaniasis include stibamine, sodium stibogluconate and urea that are not so effective due to undesirable effects and limited effcacy. 4 Additionally, Ampho- tericin-B and pentamidine are the common allopathic drugs in treating leishmaniasis, but their prolonged uses may not be ben- efcial. Therefore, in this case there is an urged to develop a new and more effective remedy from natural products with antipro- tozoal activity against leishmaniasis having no harmful effect with maximum benefts. Plant based medicines are being claimed as one of the important source for the devel- opment of drug in treating leishmaniasis diseases. 5 Many research studies showed that many plants extract and thire derived pos- sess anti-leishamanial activity against dif- ferent species of Leishmania. 5 In the same way one of the plant belongs to Sarcococca species of Buxaceae family have rich source of steroidal alkaloids that possess different biological activities in endemic region of Pakistan. 6 Sarcococca saligna (D.Don) Muel belongs to family of Buxaceae, that exist in the northern areas of Pakistan. The shoots