title: Leishmania major: in vitro and in vivo anti-leishmanial activity of paromomycin ointment (Leshcutan) combined with the immunomodulator Imiquimod.
abstract: Paromomycin at 25, 50 and 100 microg/ml, inhibited the growth of Leishmania major amastigotes by 34.5%, 61.2%, 74.9% and 85.4%, 89.9%, 95.7% on the 2nd and the 4th day of treatment in culture, respectively. Methylbenzethonium chloride at 0.1 and 0.5 microg/ml and Imiquimod at 5 and 10 microg/ml, administered separately, inhibited the parasite development by 39.5% and 65.2% and 31.5% and 47.7%, respectively. Imiquimod (5-10 microg/ml) combined with either paromomycin (25, 50 and 100 microg/ml) or methylbenzethonium chloride (0.1 and 0.5 microg/ml) showed an anti-leishmanial additive effect. A 10 day topical treatment, twice daily, with an ointment containing 15% paromomycin and 12% methylbenzethonium chloride (Leshcutan), either undiluted or diluted 1:5 in soft white paraffin combined with 5% Imiquimod cream (Aldara), was as effective as Leshcutan given alone. The present study suggests that a combination of Aldara and Leshcutan is as effective as Leshcutan given alone in the topical treatment of CL caused by L. major.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Soroka University Medical Center, Beer Sheva 84105, Israel. jelon@bgumail.ac.il
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: El-On
authors.forename: Elina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bazarsky
authors.forename: Rachella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sneir
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000634:Aminoquinolines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001558:Benzethonium / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D000077271:Imiquimod; D018320:Leishmania major / Q000187:drug effects*; D016773:Leishmaniasis, Cutaneous / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D009824:Ointments; D010303:Paromomycin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000634:Aminoquinolines; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D009824:Ointments; D001558:Benzethonium; D010303:Paromomycin; D000077271:Imiquimod; C005106:methylbenzethonium chloride