Effect of multidrug resistance modulators on the activity of ivermectin and moxidectin against selected strains of Haemonchus contortus infective larvae

ABSTRACT

Nematode parasites have shown resistance to the anthelmintics, ivermectin and moxidectin, and there is evidence that the over-expression of parasite P-glycoprotein (P-gp) may account, at least in part, for resistance to ivermectin. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the multidrug resistance (MDR) modulators, verapamil, CL 347.099 (an analog of verapamil) and cyclosporin A, would enhance the efficacy of ivermectin and moxidectin against selected strains of Haemonchus contortus using an in vitro larval migration assay. The modulators had no effects on the number of migrating larvae when used alone. Ivermectin and moxidectin showed a significant (P<0.05) increase in its efficacy by 52.8 and 58.5 per cent respectively, when used in association with verapamil against a moxidectin-selected strain. CL 347,099 also increased significantly (P<0.05) the ivermectin and moxidectin efficacy by 24.2 and 40.0 per cent respectively, against an ivermectin-selected strain and by 40.0 and 75.6 per cent respectively, against an moxidectin-selected strain. At the concentrations tested cyclosporin A showed a variable effect on increasing the efficacy of the anthelmintics against the susceptible and resistant strains