Efficacy of artesunate and artemether against Clonorchis sinensis in rabbits.
Artesunate and artemether display promising clonorchicidal properties in rats. In this study, we assessed the efficacy of artesunate and artemether against Clonorchis sinensis in rabbits. Rabbits were each fed with 300 C. sinensis metacercariae. At day 28 postinfection, the rabbits were administered oral artesunate at doses of 7.5-120 mg/kg and oral artemether of 15-120 mg/kg. Two groups of rabbits were treated with single oral praziquantel at 75 and 150 mg/kg. Untreated rabbits served as controls. Fourteen days after treatment, all rabbits were sacrificed, and C. sinensis adults were collected from the bile ducts and counted. At the highest doses tested (120 mg/kg) artesunate and artemether achieved statistical significant worm burden reductions of 88.8% and 67.2%, respectively. These rates were lower than worm burden reductions observed with praziquantel (88% and 100%, respectively). It is suggested that artesunate and artemether have moderate anthelminthic efficacy against C. sinensis in rabbits.
Department of Medical Environmental Biology, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, 156-756, Republic of Korea.
Tae Im
TI
Kim
Won Gi
WG
Yoo
Shunyu
S
Li
Sung-Tae
ST
Hong
Jennifer
J
Keiser
Sung-Jong
SJ
Hong
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D001652:Bile Ducts / Q000469:parasitology; D003003:Clonorchiasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003004:Clonorchis sinensis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D011223:Praziquantel / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits
D000871:Anthelmintics; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D011223:Praziquantel; D000077549:Artemether