Carboline antifilarials: effects on carbohydrate metabolising enzymes in Litomosoides carinii female.

Two antifilarial compounds, viz., 90/55 (7-oxo-1-phenyl-8, 14-dihydropyrido (3,4-b) imidazo (1,2-c) quinazolo (4,5-g) and 87/639 (6-Nitro-1-phenyl-9H-pyrido (3,4-b) indole at 0.5 and 2.0 micron concentrations substantially inhibited glucose uptake and increased lactate production by L. carinii during in vitro incubation for 2 hr. The treated parasites, showed increased activities of glycogen phosphorylase, phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase. Hexokinase and fumarate reductase activities level in the worms were significantly lowered. Therefore it appears that both the compounds kill adult L. carinii by interfering with its carbohydrate metabolism.