title: Effect of imidocarb and levamisole on the experimental infection of BALB/c mice by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis.
abstract: The adverse effects from using currently available drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis have motivated the search for new therapeutical agents. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of imidocarb and levamisole on the treatment of BALB/c mice experimentally infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. BALB/c mice were infected with 10(6) promastigotes of L. (L.) amazonensis (IFLA/BR/67/PH8) and, starting on day 51, mice were treated subcutaneously with imidocarb (IMD, 34 mg/kg), imidocarb plus levamisole (IMD+LVS, 34 and 12 mg/kg, respectively), only levamisole (LVS, 12 mg/kg) or without treatment (control). Lesion size and swelling were weekly monitored for 10 weeks after the beginning of the treatment. On day 121 post-infection, serum levels of specific IgG from infected mice were evaluated, as well as histopathological and morphometric alterations in the footpad, lymph nodes and spleen of these animals. The data obtained in this study demonstrated that, when compared to controls, mice treated with IMD had lower levels of IgG anti-L. (L.) amazonensis (34.45%), smaller vacuolar area in macrophages (3.75%), lower number of megakaryocytes in spleen (63.19%) and lower parasite burden in the footpad (30.2%). Thus, the evaluated parameters suggest the use of imidocarb as a potential drug in the treatment of tegumentary leishmaniasis.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas da Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, av. Pará, 1720, 38.400-902 Uberlândia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávio H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.forename: Sandra R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Afonso-Cardoso
authors.forename: Márcio A B
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Marcelo E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Beletti
authors.forename: Ademir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Aparecida H B
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Guimarães
authors.forename: Ignes
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Candeloro
authors.forename: Maria A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Souza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001681:Biological Assay; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D007095:Imidocarb / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D007978:Levamisole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008854:Microscopy, Electron / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests / Q000662:veterinary
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D007978:Levamisole; D007095:Imidocarb