[In vitro study of the anti-pneumocystis carinii effect of arteminsin derivatives].
OBJECTIVE
In vitro study was carried out to assess the effect of dihydroarteminsinin (DHA) and sodium artesunate (ATS) on pneumocystis carinii (Pc).


METHODS
The drugs were added into HepG-2 cell cultures containing Pc cysts. The concentrations of dihydroarteminsinin (DHA) were 100, 50, 10, 5, 0.5 micromol/L respectively. The concentrations of sodium artesunate (ATS) were 100, 50, 10, 5 micromol/L respectively and pentamidine (PTD) was 15 micromol/L as a control. The supernatants were withdrawn every other day and evaluated for Pc trophozoite and cyst counts by GMS and DQ stain.


RESULTS
The peak of Pc multiplication was observed on 5th day. The inhibition rates of Pc trophozoites by DHA 50 micromol/L, 100 micromol/L and ATS 100 micromol/L were quite similar to that of pentamidine (PTD) 15 micromol/L.


CONCLUSIONS
DHA and ATS can inhibit the growth of Pc as same as PTD, and DHA was slightly better than ATS.
Ni
X
X
Institute of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, College of Clinical Medicine, Chongqing University of Medicine Sciences, Chongqing 400016, China.
Chen
Y
Y
D000818:Animals; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D011010:Pneumocystis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000077332:Artesunate; C039060:artenimol