title: Effects of artesunate, dihydroartemisinin, and an artesunate-dihydroartemisinin combination against Toxoplasma gondii.
abstract: The effect of artesunate and its metabolite dihydroartemisinin against the cerebral cysts of Toxoplasma gondii was studied. In vitro experiments were performed with the THP-1 cell line and showed an inhibition of parasite growth of approximately 70% with 0.1-0.5 microg/ml of dihydroartemisinin for 96 hr. However, with artesunate, dihydroartemisinin, or a combination (50:50) of them, the number of tachyzoites decreased approximately 40-50% and they appeared motionless. Fifty-eight to 72 hr after washing of the tachyzoites and THP-1 cells in culture, parasitized cells reappeared. In vivo, the 50:50 artesunate-dihydroartemisinin combination produced a decrease in cerebral cysts of approximately 40% after only 5 days of treatment. However, transplantations into naive mice using brains of treated mice gave positive results.
authors.affiliation: Pharmaceutical Department of Parasitology and Medical Mycology, Claude Bernard University, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Sarciron
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Saccharin
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Petavy
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peyron
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D001921:Brain / Q000469:parasitology / Q000473:pathology; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014122:Toxoplasma / Q000187:drug effects*; D014124:Toxoplasmosis, Animal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D004338:Drug Combinations; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000077332:Artesunate; C039060:artenimol