Prophylactic activity of praziquantel in experimental schistosomiasis mansoni

ABSTRACT

Praziquantel was administered in a single oral dose of 1000 mg/kg B.W. at different time intervals before and after infection of mice with 80 cercariae of S. Mansoni. The drug was given 24 hours and 4 hours before infection, and 4 hours, 1 week, 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks after infection. Experimental animals were sacrificed 8 weeks after infection. Prophylactic activity of the drug was evaluated using worm distribution, size of male and female worms, oogram changes and the number of ova per gm. Tissue. Prominent prophylactic effect of praziquantel was noticed when treatment was conducted 4 hours before and 4 hours after infection. At the same time complete interference of the egg laying capacity of the schistosomes was recorded when treatment was carried 5 weeks after exposure to cercariae