[Effect of artemether on enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism of Schistosoma japonicum].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of artemether on several enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism of Schistosoma japonicum.


METHODS
Mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum cercariae for 4-5 weeks were administered intragastrically with artemether 300 mg/kg and killed 24-72 h after medication. The supernatant fluids of female and male worm homogenates were prepared for determining 9 essential enzymes of carbohydrate metabolism by using horizontal starchgel electrophoresis.


RESULTS
The activities of 8 out of 9 enzymes (i.e. hexokinase, aldolase, glucosephophate isomerase, malate dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase and mannose-6-phosphate isomerase) in female worms from artemether-treated mice were obviously inhibited 24-72 h after treatment. In male worms, only aldolase, mannose-6-phosphate isomerase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase were slightly inhibited.


CONCLUSIONS
Artemether displayed apparent effects on the carbohydrate metabolism of female schistosomes.
Zhai
Z L
ZL
Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Shanghai 200025.
Zhang
Y
Y
Liu
H X
HX
Feng
T
T
Xiao
S H
SH
D000818:Animals; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005634:Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006593:Hexokinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D008359:Mannose-6-Phosphate Isomerase / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D010734:Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D012549:Schistosoma japonicum / Q000201:enzymology*; D012554:Schistosomiasis japonica / Q000201:enzymology; D012556:Schistosomicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
D037621:Artemisinins; D012556:Schistosomicides; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000077549:Artemether; D008291:Malate Dehydrogenase; D010734:Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase; D006593:Hexokinase; D005634:Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase; D008359:Mannose-6-Phosphate Isomerase