Effect of praziquantel on blood and liver granuloma histamine and brain serotonin contents in experimental schistosomiasis

ABSTRACT

The effects of schistosoma mansoni infection and praziquantel treatment on blood and liver granuloma histamine contents and brain and liver granuloma serotonin contents were studied in mice experimentally infected each with 60 cercariae of an Egyptian strain of S. mansoni. Praziquantel [5x250 mg/kg] was- administered 8 and 12 weeks after infection and mice were sacrificed 2 weeks after treatment. Infection produced a transient increase in blood histamine and brain serotonin contents 10 weeks after infection. Praziquantel has no effect on the previously mentioned parameters. Liver granulomas up to 200 mg wet weight showed no serotonin contents. Local increase in granuloma histamine contents with chronicity of infection was observed amounting to 0.584 +/- 0.04 and 3.027 +/- 0.244 ug/g. Net weight 10 and 14 weeks after infection respectively. Praziquantel administered 12 weeks after infection produced significant increase in liver granuloma histamine contents