Effects of carnosine on liver enzymes of bilharzias infested hamsters

We tested the ability of prophylactic camosine alone and in conjunction with praziquantel to overcome the disturbances of liver enzyme activities and total protein content caused by Schistosoma mansoni infestation in hamsters. The present work showed that the infection increased hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, AMP deaminase and adenosine deaminase total activities and decreased the activity of lactate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, arginase, transaminases [OAT, AST and ALT] and liver total protein content. Prophylactic carnosine stimulated hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, succinate dehydrogenase and both deaminases. Carnosine inhibited the activity of arginase and the three transaminases, yet this inhibition was less than that caused by untreated infection. Praziquatel therapy after prophylactic carnosine treatment caused suppression of the stimulatory effects of carnosine alone on hexokinase, pyruvate kinase, succinate dehydrogenase, both deaminases and liver total protein content. With regard to arginase and the transaminases, this combined therapy decreased the inhibitory effects of infection more than camosine alone

In vivo, attenuation of Schistosome cercarial development and disturbance of egg laying capacity in Biomphalaria alexandria using sublethal concentrations of plant molluscicides

The dry powder of Sinapis arvensis, Thymelaea hirsuta, Callistemon lanceolatus and Peganum harmala showed molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria alexandrina, specific intermediate hosts to Schistosoma mansoni. Effect of LC[25] of dry powdered plant molluscicdes on hexokinase [HK], glucose phosphate isomerase [GPI], AMP deaminase, adenosine deaminase and phenol oxidase [PO] of B. alexandrina was traced. C. lanceolatus showed the highest molluscicidal activity as it has the lowest LC[50] compared to S. arvensis, T. hirsuta, and P. harmala, LC[25] of the latter three plants resulted in more significant inhibition of HK, GPI, AMP deaminase and PO than C. lanceolatus. Treatment of snails with LC[10] of these plants markedly affected compatibility of B. alexandrina to S. mansoni infection. Significant decrease in cercarial production was recorded in snails treated with sublethal concentrations of S. arvensis, T. hirsuta, and P. harmala. Remarkable impairment of the egg laying capacity of molluscicide treated snails was also recorded. Correlation between activity levels of HK, GPI and AMP deaminase and compatibility to parasitic infection and role of PO in the egglaying capacity of these snail species were discussed

Susceptibility of biomphalaria Alexandria to infection with schistosoma mansoni: Correlation with the activity of certain glycolytic enzymes

The importance of the glycolytic flux for the success of Biomphalaria- Schistosome sporocyst interaction was acertained in this study. Hexokinase [HK], pyruvate kinase [PK], glucose phosphate isomerase [GPI] and lactate dehydrogenase [LD], as four important glycolytic enzymes, were markedly stimulated in trematode infected Biomphalaria alexandrina when measured two weeks post exposure to infection with Schistosoma mansoni miracidia. Treatment with this plant resulted in a significant inhibition of these three investigated enzymes. LC10 concentrations of S. nigrum reduced considerably the infection rate of B. Alexandrina with S. mansoni to be 34% compared to an infection rate of 80% in control, non-treated snails. Susceptibility of B. alexandrina to infection with the digenetic trematode S. Mansoni is correlated to the activity levels of the glycolytic enzymes. Moreover, sublethal and less pollutant concentration of S. Nigrum could be recommended to control schistosomiasis by disturbing the intramolluscan environment of the parasite