title: Double-blind evaluation of BACTEC and Buddemeyer-type radiorespirometric assays for in vitro screening of antileprosy agents.
abstract: Two radiorespirometric assays, the BACTEC 460 and Buddemeyer-type 14CO2 detection systems, were evaluated in a double-blind manner for their ability to discriminate between authentic antileprosy agents and inactive compounds. Freshly harvested, nude-mouse derived Mycobacterium leprae were incubated in axenic media in the presence of coded test solutions prepared in a remote laboratory. Activity was assessed by comparing the rate of 14CO2 evolution from [1-14C]palmitic acid to controls. Breaking the code revealed that both systems demonstrated a dose response to ethionamide, pefloxacin and rifampicin as well as sensitivity to dapsone. Most of the water, ethanol, sucrose, dabsyl chloride and riboflavin negative-control samples failed to effect a significant reduction in radiorespirometric activity. This study confirms the ability of the radiorespirometric assays to function as a primary drug screening system in leprosy.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory Research Branch, Gillis W. Long Hansen's Disease Center, Carville, Louisiana 70721.
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Franzblau
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jenner
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Colston
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D007917:Leprostatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests / Q000379:methods*; D009166:Mycobacterium leprae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007917:Leprostatic Agents; D002245:Carbon Dioxide