title: The efficacy of artemisinin, artemether, and lumefantrine against Babesia gibsoni in vitro.
abstract: Artemisinin has many derivatives, and it is effective against Plasmodium spp. However, only a limited number of reports have confirmed the efficacy of artemisinin derivatives against Babesia spp. In this study, whether artemisinin and artemether could inhibit the growth of Babesia gibsoni was evaluated in vitro. In addition, the interaction between artemether and lumefantrine was evaluated. These drugs inhibited the growth of B. gibsoni, but artemisinin and artemether showed lower sensitivity against atovaquone-resistant B. gibsoni than against wild-type B. gibsoni. The interaction between artemether and lumefantrine showed synergism against B. gibsoni. Although further study is needed, the combination of artemisinin derivatives could be useful for babesiosis.
authors.affiliation: National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555, Japan; Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. Electronic address: iguchi@obihiro.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Aiko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iguchi
authors.affiliation: Transboundary Animal Disease Research Center, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan. Electronic address: matsuu@vet.kagoshima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Aya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matsuu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Joint Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tottori University, Tottori 680-8553, Japan. Electronic address: hikasa@muses.tottori-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hikasa
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077549:Artemether; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053626:Atovaquone / Q000494:pharmacology; D001403:Babesia / Q000187:drug effects*; D004351:Drug Resistance; D004983:Ethanolamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000078102:Lumefantrine
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D004983:Ethanolamines; D005449:Fluorenes; C031327:artemisinin; D000077549:Artemether; D000078102:Lumefantrine; D053626:Atovaquone
keywords: Artemether; Artemisinin; Babesia gibsoni; Lumefantrine