title: In vivo anti-Toxoplasma activity of aripiprazole.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There are supportive evidences about the possible role of latent Toxoplasma. gondii infections on the behavior and neurologic functions, such as increased dopamine levels in the brain. The aim of this study was to examine anti-toxoplasma activity of aripiprazole that is an atypical anti-psychotic drug in mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mice were randomly divided into four groups, including; control, vehicle, aripiprazole 10 mg/kg, and aripiprazole 20 mg/kg. The mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with mice brain suspension containing tissue cysts. At the end of second month, the number of cysts was counted in smears prepared from brain homogenate by optical microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between mean logarithms of brain cyst numbers of aripiprazole groups compared with control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that in aripiprazole groups, the brain cystogenesis was not decrease. Further study needs to investigate the role of anti-psychotic drugs on T. gondii.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran ; Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Mehrzad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saraei
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Nafiseh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Samadzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Javad
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khoeini
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran ; Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojtaba
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shahnazi
authors.affiliation: Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran ; Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Marjan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nassiri-Asl
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin, Iran.
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jahanihashemi
keywords: Aripiprazole; Cysts; Toxoplasma gondii