Detoxifying and anti-oxidant enzymes of Fasciola gigantica worms under triclabendazole sulphoxide [TCBZ-SX]: An in vitro study

Triclabendazole [TCBZ] is an efficient fasciolicide that affects both juvenile and adult worms. After oral administration it is rapidly metabolized to TCBZ sulphoxide and sulphone that were found responsible for its fasciolicidal activity. Parasite defense mechanisms include detoxifying and anti-oxidant enzymes that would suppress its oxidative killing. The present work aimed at evaluating these enzymes under TCBZ-SX. Thirty juvenile and 30 adult F. gigantica worms collected from the liver parenchyma and bile ducts formed the subject of the study. Levels of superoxide dismutase [SOD], glutathione peroxidase [GPx], glutathione reductase [GR], glutathione S-transferase [GST], and glutathione [GSH] were measured in juvenile and adult worms incubated, without and with 15 and 50 micro g/ml TCBZ-SX for 18 hours at 37°C. Results demonstrated a significant decrease in SOD activity and an increase in GST level in both juvenile and adult worms after incubation in the two concentrations. The remaining enzymes and GSH revealed variable levels

Effect of anagallis arvensis plant against natural infestation of sheep with fasciola sp. a comparative study

The present work investigates the efficacy of oral administration of Anagallis arvensis plant in sheep naturally infested with Fasciola gigantica worms. Five apparently healthy and 5 infested animals were orally administered daily with powdered Anagallis arvensis plant [100 mg/kg b. wt.] for 14 days. Another 5 infested sheep were injected subcutaneously with a single dose of nitroxynil at a dose of 1 ml/ 25 kg b.wt. Faecal, haematological and some biochemical parameters were performed before and 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after treatment. The results showed no viable eggs in the faeces at 7th day in infested sheep treated with Nitroxynil, meanwhile 60% and 80% reduction in egg count were recorded at 7th and 14th day respectively in infested sheep treated with the plant respectively. Haematological and biochemical results revealed a significant decrease in erythrocytic count, haemoglobin percent, haematocrit value, total proteins and albumin. There was an increase in the activities of serum Aspartate amintransferase [AST], Alanine aminotransferase [ALT] in addition to leucocytosis, eosinophilia and monocytosis in sheep infested with Fasciola. These values returned to their normal values it 7th day post-treatment. No changes in the levels of calcium, inorganic phosphorus and creatinine in serum of all tested groups were observed. The plant administration displayed no adverse effects in the treated sheep

pulmonary performance and airway reactivity in acute and chronic fascioliasis before and after triclabendazole treatment

The pulmonary performance and airway reactivity were evaluated in 16 acute and 12 chronic fascioliasis patients before and after treatment with triclabendazole in a trial to clarify some underlying pulmonary changes which can explain the chest symptomatology that may accompany this intestinal fluke. Before treatment, the maximum voluntary ventilation was impaired in the acute and chronic cases. In the acute stage, the affection was in the small airways [as denoted by lower values of FEF75% compared to control]; while in the chronic stage, the impairment was more generalized including not only the small and large airways [as shown by diminished FVC, FEV1, FEFmax, FEF25%, FEF50% and FEF75%] but also the upper airway [as noticed by lower values of FIVC and FIF50% compared with the corresponding control values]. By individual analysis of the dose response slopes [DRS], 37.5% of acute and 33.3% of chronic cases had bronchial hyperactivity. After triclabendazole treatment and cure of the patients, most of the pulmonary flow rates improved significantly compared with the pretreatment values. Moreover, all cases regained normal bronchial reactivity and the DRS diminished significantly than during fascioliasis infection. It is concluded that, although the fluke doesnot have a cycle in the lung, yet if may have an impact on the pulmonary performance and airway reactivity which subsides greatly after treatment with triclabendazole

Compartive studies on the effect of bithionol, praziquantel and triclabendazole in rabbit's fascioliasis, 1 Parasitological studies

In this study, rabbits were infected with 30 metacercariae each. Then, they were divided into four categories, each of two groups. One category served as control and the others were treated each with a drug. The first group from each group was treated when worms were still immature, the other group was treated after maturity. The effect of the drugs was monitored by stool examination for eggs, the percentage of egg reduction and worm recovery at autopsy were studied and the percentage of the drug efficacy was calculated. Some eggs were cultured and their embryonation and hatching were traced. The results pointed out that triclabendazole was the best fasciolicide, followed by bithionol. Praziquantel had a negligible effect

Prevention of human fascioliasis: a study of the role of acids detergents and potassium permanganate in clearing salads from metacercariae

Prevention of human fascioliasis could depend on clearing the leafy salads from the metacercariae. The present work evaluated the role of some chemicals in detaching and killing this infective stage. It was observed that washing in running water for 10 minutes detached only 50% of the metacercariae. Citric acid in the concentration of [10 ml/L], commercial vinegar [120 ml/L], liquid soap [12 ml/L] and KMnO4 [24 mg/L] detached all metacercariae after 10 minutes exposure. The use of vinegar and KMnO4 was recommended; the former is lethal to other parasites in the vegetables, the second destroyed the metacercariae. Vegetable leaves were not softened and remained fresh