RESUMO
This study aims to clarify the parasitological effect of a new antischistosomal drug: Ro 15-9268 [9-acridanone hydrazone derivative, synthesized by Hoffman La-Roche Co. Basel, Switzerland] in experimental schistosomiasis haematobium infection. It also aims to study the repercussion of using this compound on some of the major liver [ASAT and ALAT] and kidney [Serum urea, uric acid and creatinine concentrations] function tests. Forty Golden Syrian hamsters have been used in the experiment. Animals were divided into two major groups. Group I: Included infected [300 +/- 50 cercariae/ hamster] untreated control animals sacrificed at 13, 15, 17 and 19 weeks post infection respectively. Group II: infected hamsters further subdivided into three orally treated small subgroups: subgroup IIa: received Ro15-9268 [5mg/Kgb.wt.], subgroup lIb: treated with the same drug [10mg/Kgb.wt] and subgroup IIc: given oral praziquantel 150mg/kgb.wt. Sacrifice was done two days, two, four and six weeks post treatment respectively. It was found that the effect of Ro 15-9268 at the dose of 10mg/kg b.weight was superior to that of 5 mg/kg and praziquantel, with minimal worm and tissue egg load recovery especially two days and two weeks post treatment. A marked drop in the infection-induced risen liver enzymes [serum Aspartate Amino Transferase ASAT and Serum Alanine Amino transferase ALAT], was noted in the group given the 10mg/Kg drug regimen [P<0.001 from respective untreated control mice]. This drop was less salient in the other two treated groups. As regards the serum urea, it reached the lowest level with the high dose regimen at the second and six weeks post treatment respectively [P<0.05 and P<0.01 from respective infected untreated control animals]. Again, a significant drop in serum uric acid and creatinine was recorded in the group given the two dose regimens, as well as praziquantel at all the time intervalls post treatment for serum uric acid and at the 2[nd], 4[th] and sixth week post treatment for serum creatinine [P<0.001 from infected untreated control hamsters]. This drug could be used in endemic areas where resistance to praziquantel starts to be an emerging public health problem