title: Albendazole inhibits Pneumocystis carinii proliferation in inoculated immunosuppressed mice.
abstract: Albendazole, a benzimidazole derivative widely used for treating helminth infections, was successfully used to treat and prevent development of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in transtracheally inoculated immunosuppressed mice. For treatment, 3 weeks postinoculation, albendazole at 300 and 600 mg/kg of body weight per day was administered in food for 3 weeks. For prophylaxis, albendazole was begun on the same day as inoculation at 300 mg/kg/day for 7 days, and then the dose was reduced to 150 mg/kg/day for 35 additional days. With these regimens, albendazole was effective both for treatment and prophylaxis. Both dexamethasone-immunosuppressed and L3T4+ monoclonal antibody-immunosuppressed mouse models were used, and albendazole inhibited P. carinii infection in both.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis 46202.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Bartlett
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Edlind
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dean
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Queener
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D003907:Dexamethasone; D015766:Albendazole