title: In vivo 31P NMR spectrum of Hymenolepis diminuta and its change on short-term exposure to mebendazole.
abstract: The 31P NMR spectrum of the adult tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, at 37 degrees C during perfusion with physiological saline was composed of 10 peaks. Based on chemical shifts and analysis of worm extracts, the phosphorus components included glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, phosphorylcholine, glycerophosphoryl choline and -ethanolamine, nucleotide monophosphate-diphosphate and -triphosphate, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and uridine diphosphate glucose. The mean level of nucleotide triphosphate was 0.86 nmol (mg fresh weight)-1 and the nucleotide triphosphate/-diphosphate ratio 3.9. Based on the nucleotide triphosphate level, worms were viable for at least 3 h and the intracellular pH was maintained constant at approximately 6.7. Short-term exposure to mebendazole perfused at 11 or 27 microM solubilized in physiological saline containing 0.5% Tween 80 or 0.1% dimethyl sulphoxide had little effect on the nucleotide triphosphate level. Some cytological changes, however, were evident following perfusion of mebendazole. In contrast, exposure to 2,4-dinitrophenol caused a rapid decline in nucleotide triphosphate level. It was concluded that mebendazole does not exert its primary effect on oxidative phosphorylation.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006926:Hymenolepis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009711:Nucleotides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D010766:Phosphorylation
chemical_list: D009711:Nucleotides; D008463:Mebendazole