title: Chemotherapy of CNS-trypanosomiasis: the combined use of diminazene aceturate or pentamidine with DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO).
abstract: The chemotherapy of CNS-trypanosomiasis with DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine (Eflornithine, DFMO) with the diamidine, pentamidine (Lomidine) or diminazene aceturate (Berenil) was examined using the mouse model for CNS-trypanosomiasis. Although combined DFMO/pentamidine therapy can give complete cures, one or more doses of 100 mg/kg pentamidine was required with continuous administration of DFMO for 14-16 days, and even this treatment failed to cure the mice in a repeat experiment. Diminazene aceturate was more efficient and provided a 40 mg-kg dose was utilised, it was possible to reduce the period of DFMO to approximately 12 days. Attempts to reduce the dose rate of diminazene to less than 40 mg-kg failed. Of the two compounds, diminazene aceturate was the more successful and could possibly be used in combination with DFMO in the treatment of CNS-trypanosomiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Scotland.
authors.forename: F W
authors.initials: FW
authors.lastname: Jennings
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001152:Arsenicals / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D004133:Diminazene / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000518:Eflornithine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D010419:Pentamidine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D001152:Arsenicals; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D010419:Pentamidine; C062789:melaminylthioarsenate; C003915:diminazene aceturate; D004133:Diminazene; D000518:Eflornithine