efficacy of antihelminthic compound; clorsulon against experimental schistosoma mansoni infection

ABSTRACT

The efficacy of Clorsulon[R] [CLS] against experimental schis-tosomiasis mansoni, using Praziquantel[R] [PZQ] as a therapeutic control was evaluated. Swiss Albino mice were divided into infected non-treated control, PZQ-treated group given a single dose of 500 mg/kg four weeks post infection [PI], and infected mice treated with single, double, and triple doses of 5 mg/kg CLS per dose, one week apart starting from the 4[th] week PI. All animals were perfused for adults count. Parts of livers and intestines were examined for granulomata number and sizes. Pathological changes in hepatic parenchyma by H and E and Masson trichrome stains were also examined. Results revealed that a single treatment with PZQ caused a significant percentage reducetion [%R] of worm load [92.68%], mean egg count in liver and intestine [91.20 and 94.01% respectively], and mean size of liver granulomata was reduced [92.06%]. Regarding CLS, the worm burden was reduced proportionally with number of doses given; 87.80, 96.34 and 97.56% in single, double and triple exposures successively. Egg count in liver was decreased by 85.90, 97.01 and 96.23% respectively in treated mice. Number of intestinal granulomata was decreased by 85.28, 94.24 and 95.49% in a similar way. Size of hepatic granulomata was decreased by 89.02, 94.51 and 95.05% by 1, 2 and 3 doses consecutively. All parameters reflected non significant difference between 2 and 3 dose of CLS. The results were critically discussed