Biochemical mechanisms of the antileishmanial activity of sodium stibogluconate.
Pentavalent antimonial agents such as sodium stibogluconate (Pentostam; Burroughs Wellcome Co., London, United Kingdom) are the drugs of choice for the treatment of leishmaniasis, but their biochemical mechanisms of action are virtually unknown. The viability of Leishmania mexicana (WR 227) promastigotes and amastigotes was decreased 40 to 61% by a 4-h exposure to 500 micrograms of Sb (in the form of stibogluconate) per ml. Such exposure also resulted in a 51 to 65% decrease in incorporation of label into DNA, RNA, and protein; a 56 to 65% decrease in incorporation of label into purine nucleoside triphosphate; and a 34 to 60% increase in incorporation of label into purine nucleoside monophosphate and diphosphate. It is postulated that the apparent decrease in ATP and GTP synthesis from ADP and GDP contributes to decreased macromolecular synthesis and to decreased Leishmania viability. Further experiments suggested that inhibition of glycolysis and the citric acid cycle may partially explain the inability to phosphorylate ADP.
Berman
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JD
Waddell
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Hanson
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BD
D000227:Adenine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005942:Gluconates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D006150:Guanine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011685:Purine Nucleotides / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000227:Adenine Nucleotides; D005942:Gluconates; D006150:Guanine Nucleotides; D011685:Purine Nucleotides; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D005947:Glucose; D000967:Antimony Sodium Gluconate