title: Transient effects of levamisole on Brugia malayi microfilariae.
abstract: Levamisole is an anthelmintic drug that acts by activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at the nematode neuromuscular junction and causing paralysis. We measured the in vitro effects of levamisole on the motility of Brugia malayi microfilariae; after 2 h incubation the apparent IC50 was 2.68 mM. Lower drug concentrations, such as 1 mM, caused an immediate total paralysis that lasted for up to 1 h, but was completely reversed by 2 h of incubation. The 'recovered' parasites were still completely susceptible to application of a second nicotinic agonist, pyrantel.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, 501 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
authors.forename: Eman
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.forename: Bob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Storey
authors.forename: Adel Mohammed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Farghaly
authors.forename: Hany Abd El-Hai
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Afify
authors.forename: Afaf Abd El-Raouf
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Taha
authors.forename: Adrian J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wolstenholme
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000969:Antinematodal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017178:Brugia malayi / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007978:Levamisole / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000187:drug effects*; D010243:Paralysis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011715:Pyrantel / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000969:Antinematodal Agents; D007978:Levamisole; D011715:Pyrantel