title: Caenorhabditis elegans as a model for the screening of anthelminthic compounds: ultrastructural study of the effects of albendazole.
abstract: This study investigated the effects of albendazole on the viability, morphology and ultrastructure of different life stages of Caenorhabditis elegans. The albendazole EC50 value after seven days of treatment was 18.43 μM. This concentration was very efficient against all the stages. Light and electron microscopy analysis showed damage to the body wall of the adults and larvae. An intense desquamation of the cuticle of larvae and of the surface of the eggs was observed, preventing their hatching and development. The main ultrastructural damage detected was the degeneration of the mitochondria in the noncontractile muscle of the body wall, which appeared as large vacuoles. This study reaffirmed the use of C. elegans as a screening system for compounds with potential anthelmintic activity and showed the effects of albendazole on the different life stages of these worms.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia de Helmintos Otto Wucherer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Cidade Universitária, Bloco G, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
authors.forename: Viviane
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sant'anna
authors.forename: Rossiane C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Vommaro
authors.forename: Wanderley
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: de Souza
mesh_terms: D015766:Albendazole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000187:drug effects; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole
keywords: Albendazole; Caenorhabditis elegans; Ultrastructure