In vitro and in vivo treatments of echinococcus protoscoleces and metacestodes with artemisinin and artemisinin derivatives.
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.
Spicher
Martin
M
Institute of Parasitology, University of Bern, Länggass-Strasse 122, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland.
Roethlisberger
Carole
C
Lany
Catharina
C
Stadelmann
Britta
B
Keiser
Jennifer
J
Ortega-Mora
Luis M
LM
Gottstein
Bruno
B
Hemphill
Andrew
A
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
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D009574:Nitro Compounds; D013844:Thiazoles; C039060:artenimol; C031327:artemisinin; D015766:Albendazole; C041747:nitazoxanide