Cytogenetic observations after meglumine antimoniate therapy for visceral leishmaniasis.
Few data are available concerning the genotoxic effects of antimonial salts therapy in humans. A patient suffering from visceral leishmaniasis was treated for 15 days with a cumulative dose meglumine antimoniate 42.5 g. Peripheral blood lymphocytes sampled before treatment, 7 days later, and at the end of therapy (day 15) were examined for the presence of structural chromosome aberrations, sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs), and micronuclei in binucleated cells. The treatment resulted in an increase of binucleated cells carrying micronuclei, with no changes in chromosome structural aberrations or in mean SCE frequency. On the basis of these observations and of experimental results reported in the literature, we conclude that therapy with meglumine antimoniate apparently does not represent a mutagenic or carcinogenic risk to humans.
Department of Intensive Care, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Brussels, Belgium. hantson@rean.ucl.ac.be
P
P
Hantson
E D
ED
Léonard
M C
MC
Crutzen-Fayt
A
A
Léonard
B
B
Vandercam
B
B
Delaere
P
P
Mahieu
D000818:Animals; D000965:Antimony / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D006801:Humans; D018314:Leishmania infantum; D007898:Leishmaniasis, Visceral / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008297:Male; D008536:Meglumine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012854:Sister Chromatid Exchange
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D008536:Meglumine; D000077485:Meglumine Antimoniate; D000965:Antimony