Activity of several kinds of drugs against Neospora caninum.
Neosporosis caused by Neospora caninum is a serious disease in cattle and dogs worldwide. It is the major cause of abortion and neonatal mortality in cattle. In this study, we evaluated the anti-N. caninum activity of Chinese medicine extracts (curcumin, artemether), herbicides (atrazine, glyphosate), anticoccidiosis drugs (toltrazuril and ponazuril), cyclophosphamide, diminazene aceturate and praziquantel in vitro using parasite growth, replication and host cell invasion assays in human foreskin fibroblast cultures. Curcumin, artemether, atrazine, toltrazuril and ponazuril exhibited inhibitory activity with 50% growth inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1.1±0.4, 1.0±0.05, 11.2±2.7, 30.3±2.0 and 33.3±4.1μg/ml, respectively, in the growth inhibition assay. They were also active against protozoa replication, but only curcumin was effective against host cell invasion. Glyphosate, cyclophosphamide, diminazene aceturate and praziquantel were ineffective. In an in vivo infection model, curcumin showed no activity against N. caninum infection. We showed that curcumin, artemether, atrazine, toltrazuril, and ponazuril exhibited anti-N. caninum activity in vitro, providing important information for further studies on anti-N. caninum drugs.
Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China; Animal Quarantine Laboratory, College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, China.
Weifeng
W
Qian
Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Hui
H
Wang
Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Dan
D
Shan
Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Bo
B
Li
Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
Jing
J
Liu
Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology and Zoonosis, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address: qunliu@cau.edu.cn.
Qun
Q
Liu
D000818:Animals; D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D003048:Coccidiosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006540:Herbicides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D018688:Neospora / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development*
D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006540:Herbicides
Drugs; Effective; Mice; Neospora caninum; Toxicity