Activity of artemether and mefloquine against juvenile and adult Schistosoma mansoni in athymic and immunocompetent NMRI mice

Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2010 Jan;82(1):112-4. doi: 10.4269/ajtmh.2010.09-0461.

Abstract

Immune effector mechanisms can enhance the activity of antischistosomal drugs. We examined the in vivo effect of single oral doses of the antimalarials artemether (400 mg/kg) and mefloquine (200 mg/kg), recently described to have promising antischistosomal properties, against juvenile and adult Schistosoma mansoni in T cell-deficient and in comparably infected age- and sex-matched immunologically intact control mice. Artemether and mefloquine are equally effective in athymic and immunocompetent mice. Artemether treatment resulted in total and female worm burden reductions ranging between 71.1% and 85.3%, whereas mefloquine achieved total and female worm burden reductions of 80.4-97.8%. In conclusion, artemether and mefloquine act T-cell independently and no synergistic interaction with the immune response was involved.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antiprotozoal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Artemether
  • Artemisinins / pharmacology*
  • Female
  • Immunocompetence
  • Male
  • Mefloquine / pharmacology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Schistosoma mansoni / drug effects*

Substances

  • Antiprotozoal Agents
  • Artemisinins
  • Artemether
  • Mefloquine