title: In vitro and in vivo treatments of echinococcus protoscoleces and metacestodes with artemisinin and artemisinin derivatives.
abstract: In vitro treatment of Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus larval stages with the antimalarials dihydroartemisinin and artesunate (10 to 40 microM) exhibited promising results, while 6 weeks of in vivo treatment of mice infected with E. multilocularis metacestodes (200 mg/kg of body weight/day) had no effect. However, combination treatments of both drugs with albendazole led to a substantial but statistically not significant reduction in parasite weight compared to results with albendazole alone.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spicher
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roethlisberger
authors.forename: Catharina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lany
authors.forename: Britta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stadelmann
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Keiser
authors.forename: Luis M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ortega-Mora
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gottstein
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hemphill
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D048209:Echinococcus granulosus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D048210:Echinococcus multilocularis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D006801:Humans; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles; C039060:artenimol; C031327:artemisinin; D015766:Albendazole; C041747:nitazoxanide