In vitro activity of hexadecylphosphocholine (miltefosine) against metronidazole-resistant and -susceptible strains of Trichomonas vaginalis.
OBJECTIVE
Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted disease with worldwide significance. Trichomoniasis can be treated with metronidazole; however, resistant strains of T. vaginalis have been isolated and there is a lack of useful alternative drugs. The aim of the present study was to examine the activity of hexadecylphosphocholine (HePC; miltefosine), a membrane-active alkylphospholipid, that is licensed as an antileishmanial agent against T. vaginalis.


METHODS
The efficacy of HePC after 30 min, 1 h, 16 h and 24 h against four different T. vaginalis strains (with varying resistance to metronidazole) was evaluated.


RESULTS
It was shown that all isolates, including the metronidazole-resistant strains, were susceptible to HePC, with EC50s of between 8 and 40 microM and EC90s of between 8 and 80 microM depending on time and on the medium used for the experiments. Treatment of trichomonads with HePC resulted in rounding up and, at concentrations of >or=40 microM, in subsequent total lysis of the organisms.


CONCLUSIONS
HePC may be a promising new candidate for the treatment of trichomoniasis.
Blaha
C
C
Department of Medical Parasitology, Clinical Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Vienna, Kinderspitalgasse 15, 1095 Vienna, Austria.
Duchêne
M
M
Aspöck
H
H
Walochnik
J
J
D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000235:genetics; D025141:Drug Resistance, Fungal; D008795:Metronidazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D008858:Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; D010767:Phosphorylcholine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013045:Species Specificity; D014246:Trichomonas vaginalis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D004271:DNA, Fungal; D010767:Phosphorylcholine; D008795:Metronidazole; C039128:miltefosine