Miltefosine induces apoptosis-like death in Leishmania donovani promastigotes.

Miltefosine (hexadecylphosphocholine [HePC]) has proved to be a potent oral treatment for human visceral leishmaniasis due to Leishmania donovani. The molecular mechanisms that contribute to the antileishmanial activity of HePC are still unknown. We report that in wild-type promastigotes of Leishmania donovani HePC is able to induce a cell death process with numerous cytoplasmic, nuclear, and membrane features of metazoan apoptosis, including cell shrinkage, DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosome-sized fragments, and phosphatidylserine exposure.