37PROMISING ANTI-LEISHMANIAL POTENTIALS OF DIPTERACANTHUS PROSTRATUS (POIR.) NEES. IN BOTH AXENIC AMASTIGOTES AND PROMASTIGOTES OF LEISHMANIA DONOVANIInfection caused by the protozoa of the genus Leishmania is the major worldwide health problem, with high endemicity in developing countries like India. The plant kingdom is undoubtedly valuable as a source of new medicinal agents. The present work constitutes the ethanolic extract of aerial parts of Dipteracanthus prostrates (Poir.) Nees. (Acanthaceae) shows promising invitro antileishmanial potential in both axenic amastigotes and promastigotes of Leishmania donovani. The findings of this study indicate the ethanolic extract at the concentration of 1000 µg/ml of D.prostratus has the IC50 value 883.48µg/ml and 716.14µg/ml against L.donovania mastigotes and promastigotes respectively. The extract also shows significant anti-oxidant capacity either by directly inhibiting or preventing the release of free radicals. It’s unique and potent activity profile represents D.prostratus is an important new assets in the search of novel antileishmanial druggprakahyoga@gmail.comResearch412014Anti-Leishmaniasis,Amastigotes,Lesihmania donovani,Dipteracanthus prostratus,PromastigotesPrakashYoganandamG,Kumar sunil,Gopal V,Muthamizheselvan KDepartment of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Mother Theresa Post Graduates & Research Institute of Health Sciences, Puducherry-605006, India.,MRR College of B.Pharmacy, Hyderabad- 501510, Andhra Pradesh, India.,Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Mother Theresa Post Graduates & Research Institute of Health Sciences, Puducherry-605006, India.,Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Mother Theresa Post Graduates & Research Institute of Health Sciences, Puducherry-605006, India.