Retinoids medication and schistosomiasis: a potential beneficial use

ABSTRACT

The present study dealt with the possible beneficial uses of retinoids medication in modulating the adverse effects induced by schistosomiasis in experimental animals. Retinoic acid [RA] and retinyl palmitate [RP] [two chemically related forms of retinoids] were utilized in this study. The selected daily oral doses of these compounds were 75,000 IU/kg and 30 mg/kg body weight for retinyl palimitate and retinoic acid, respectively, being given for a maximum period of 9 weeks. Retinoids medication courses were initiated one week prior to percutaneous exposure of the host to this parasitic infection to explore any modulating influence of these retinoids on the susceptibility of the host to cutaneous penetration by the cercaria and on the degree of severity of the induced bilharzial lesions. Only retinoic acid RA treatment for 9 weeks had caused a significant reduction of schistosomiasis splenomegaly, a delay in the pathologically induced granulomas in the liver. Both retinoids had impaired the metabolic activity of the parasite, this was reflected by a significant decrease in the hematin pigment deposition in the liver. The liver of infected mice treated with retinoids showed absence of necrotic lesions and presence of giant cells especially in case of retinoic acid