title: Screening of metal ion chelators against Leishmania donovani-infected Syrian hamsters.
abstract: Leishmania donovani-infected Syrian hamsters were treated intraperitoneally with 0.23 mmoles/kg/day of EDTA, EGTA, HEEDTA and 100 mg/kg/day of Pentostam R. The control group received 0.1 ml of phosphate buffered saline. After 30 days of treatment, the animals were sacrificed. Of the Pentostam-treated animals, 5 out 6 had negative spleen cultures, while all the chelator and PBS-treated ones yielded parasites. While all the Pentostam-treated animals had negative bone marrow cultures, only 1 out of 6 HEEDTA-treated hamsters yielded parasites. Spleen, liver and bone marrow parasite- loads calculated from chelator-treated animals were consistently significantly higher than for Pentostam-treated animals. These results suggest that although metal ion chelators have some antileishmanial potential, their in vivo activity against L. donovani is low compared to Pentostam.
authors.forename: Peter A.
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Mbati
authors.forename: Kisia
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abok
authors.forename: Christopher O.
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Anjili
authors.forename: Alloys S.
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Orago
authors.forename: Jim M.
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Kagai
authors.forename: John I.
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Githure
authors.forename: Davy K.
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Koech