Artesunate, a potential drug for treatment of Babesia infection.
The effects of artesunate, a water-soluble artemisinin derivative, against Babesia species, including Babesia bovis, Babesia gibsoni and Babesia microti were studied. Cultures of B. bovis and B. gibsoni were treated with 0.26, 2.6, 26 and 260microM artesunate, showing inhibition of parasite growth at concentrations equal to and greater than 2.6microM artesunate by days 3 post-treatment for B. gibsoni and B. bovis in a dose-dependent manner. Consistent with in vitro experiments, artesunate was effective in the treatment of mice infected with B. microti at doses equal to and greater than 10mg/kg of body weight on days 8-10 post-infection. Taken together, these results suggest that artesunate could be a potential drug against Babesia infection.
Goo
Youn-Kyoung
YK
National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Hokkaido, Japan.
Terkawi
M Alaa
MA
Jia
Honglin
H
Aboge
G Oluga
GO
Ooka
Hideo
H
Nelson
Bryce
B
Kim
Suk
S
Sunaga
Fujiko
F
Namikawa
Kazuhiko
K
Igarashi
Ikuo
I
Nishikawa
Yoshifumi
Y
Xuan
Xuenan
X
D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077332:Artesunate; D001403:Babesia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D016793:Babesia bovis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D041001:Babesia microti / Q000187:drug effects*; D001404:Babesiosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D021261:Parasitic Sensitivity Tests; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate