title: A new parasiticidal compound in T. solium cysticercosis.
abstract: The effect of 16α-bromoepiandrosterone (EpiBr), a dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) analogue, was tested on the cysticerci of Taenia solium, both in vitro and in vivo. In vitro treatment of T. solium cultures with EpiBr reduced scolex evagination, growth, motility, and viability in dose- and time-dependent fashions. Administration of EpiBr prior to infection with T. solium cysticerci in hamsters reduced the number and size of developed taenias in the intestine, compared with controls. These effects were associated to an increase in splenocyte proliferation in infected hamsters. These results leave open the possibility of assessing the potential of this hormonal analogue as a possible antiparasite drug, particularly in cysticercosis and taeniosis.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Inmunología, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, AP 70228, 04510 México, DF, Mexico.
authors.forename: Romel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hernández-Bello
authors.forename: Galileo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Escobedo
authors.forename: Julio Cesar
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Carrero
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cervantes-Rebolledo
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dowding
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Frincke
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reading
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morales-Montor
mesh_terms: D000738:Androsterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006224:Cricetinae; D003551:Cysticercosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D004748:Entamoeba histolytica / Q000187:drug effects; D007422:Intestines / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008647:Mesocricetus; D009132:Muscles / Q000469:parasitology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000469:parasitology; D013552:Swine; D041201:Taenia solium / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; C032020:16-bromoepiandrosterone; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D000738:Androsterone