title: In vitro trypanocidal activity of the anti-helminthic drug niclosamide.
abstract: Only a few drugs are available for chemotherapy of African trypanosomiasis and there is an urgent need for the development of new anti-trypanosomal agents. In this study, the anti-helminthic drug niclosamide was tested for its trypanocidal activity in vitro using culture-adapted bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei brucei and Trypanosoma congolense. The concentrations of niclosamide to reduce the growth rate by 50% and to kill all cells were in the low- and mid micromolar ranges for T. b. brucei and T. congolense, respectively. The very low toxicity of niclosamide for mammals makes the compound interesting for drug development for African trypanosomiasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Ruprecht-Karls-University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 324, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Karin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Merschjohann
authors.forename: Dietmar
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steverding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D009534:Niclosamide / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D014348:Trypanosoma congolense / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D014353:Trypanosomiasis, African / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents; D009534:Niclosamide