title: An alternative mebendazole formulation for cystic echinococcosis: the treatment efficacy, pharmacokinetics and safety in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cystic echinococcosis is a serious zoonotic infection worldwide caused by metacestodes of Echinococcus gruanulosus. Mebendazole and albendazole are the only two drugs used in the treatment of this disease with cure rates only about 30% due to the poor oral absorption. Thus an alternative treatment for this disease is needed.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mebendazole oily suspension (MBZ-OS) was prepared and orally administrated to mice infected with echinococcus cysts for 8 months at 12.5 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg for 14 consecutive days. Mebendazole suspended in 1% tragacanth (MBZ-1% tragacanth) served as treated control. In addition, liver and serum samples were collected from these treated mice (25 mg/kg) for histopathology examination and liver function test. For pharmacokinetic analysis, plasma, parasite (cyst wall and cyst fluid) and tissue samples were collected at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 16 and 24 h after orally administrating MBZ-OS and MBZ-1% tragacanth to E. granulosus-infected mice at 25 mg/kg. These samples were then processed and quantitatively analyzed by HPLC.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The administration of MBZ-OS resulted in a treatment efficacy with the cyst weight reductions higher than 80%, significantly better than the corresponding MBZ-1% tragacanth groups. The better treatment efficacy of MBZ-OS was related to the higher drug concentration in plasma, parasites and tissues. It was also shown that the injury of the liver was not significantly altered by taking MBZ-OS compared to the untreated control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings demonstrate that MBZ-OS is a promising new formulation of MBZ for treatment of hydatid diseases without showing significantly liver toxicity.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, China. lcs_hxy@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Cong-Shan
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, China. zhang_haobing@163.com.
authors.forename: Hao-Bing
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, Qinghai, China. 475986917@qq.com.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, China. zcw8025@163.com.
authors.forename: Chao-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, China. binjiang84@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, China. zhengqiipd@126.com.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Key Laboratory of Parasite and Vector Biology, MOH, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, China. chart2543@163.com.
authors.forename: Jian-Hai
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Qinghai Institute for Endemic Disease Prevention and Control, Xining, 811602, Qinghai, China. qhxn_66@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiu-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008463:Mebendazole / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D051379:Mice; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D008463:Mebendazole