[Effect of six anthelmintics in oral treatment of mice infected with Armillifer agkistrodontis nymphs].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of praziquantel, mebendazole, tribendimidine, ivermectin, artemether and dihydroartemisinin against Armillifer agkistrodontis nymphs harbored in mice.


METHODS
Thirty-five mice infected each with 40 eggs of Armillifer agkistrodontis for 25-37 weeks were divided into 10 groups (2-8 mice per group). Among them, nine groups were treated orally with praziquantel 500 mg/(kg x d) x 5 d or 500 my/(kg x d) x 14 d, mebendazole 300 mg/(kg x d)x 5 d, tribendimidine 300 mg/(kg x d) x 5 d, ivermectin 8-10 mg/(kg x d) x 3 d or 15 mg/(kg x d) x l4 d, artemether 400 mg/(kg x d) x 5 d and dihydroartemisinin 200 mg/(kg x d) x 5 d, respectively. The remaining untreated group served as control. All mice were sacrificed 1-3 weeks post-treatment for collection and separation of Armillifer agkistrodontis nymph cysts from abdominal wall, lipid tissue and viscera including liver, spleen and outer wall of intestine. The nymphs were released after tearing up the cyst with forceps, placed in the normal saline to observe their motor activity and counted.


RESULTS
The difference of mean nymph burden between the drug treated groups and control group was not statistically significant (P > 0.05) with mean nymph reductions of 8.3%-35.0%. Meanwhile, the appearance of the cyst, the size, colour, morphology and motor activity of nymphs were also similar to that of the control.


CONCLUSIONS
Praziquantel, mebendazole, tribendimidine, ivermectin, artemether and dihydroartemisinin exhibit no effect against Armillifer agkistrodontis harbored in mice under the conditions in the experiment.
National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, China.
Li-li
LL
Xu
Jian
J
Xue
Yong-nian
YN
Zhang
Hui-qin
HQ
Qiang
Shu-hua
SH
Xiao
D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D057078:Pentastomida / Q000187:drug effects*
D000871:Anthelmintics