A rapid method for testing in vivo the susceptibility of different strains of Trypanosoma cruzi to active chemotherapeutic agents.
A method is described which permits to determine in vivo and in a short period of time (4-6 hours) the sensitivity of T. cruzi strains to known active chemotherapeutic agents. By using resistant- and sensitive T. cruzi strains a fairly good correlation was observed between the results obtained with this rapid method (which detects activity against the circulating blood forms) and those obtained with long-term schedules which involve drug administration for at least 20 consecutive days and a prolonged period of assessment. This method may be used to characterize susceptibility to active drugs used clinically, provide information on the specific action against circulating trypomastigotes and screen active compounds.
D000818:Animals; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009547:Nifurtimox / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009581:Nitrofurans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009593:Nitroimidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods*; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects*
D009581:Nitrofurans; D009593:Nitroimidazoles; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D009547:Nifurtimox; C009999:benzonidazole