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Egyptian Academic Journal of Biological Sciences, B. Zoology

A total of 48 female albino mice, with average weight 23 g, have been used in this study, divided into 4 groups (12 mice for each group). Groups I & II served as uninfected groups. Group II was subjected to pregnancy and received an oral dose of Mirazid (300 mg/Kg) (Pharco Pharmaceuticals, Alexandria, Egypt) for three consecutive days. Groups III and IV were infected subcutaneously with 60 ±10 Schistosoma mansoni cercariae (Egyptian strain) and were subjected to pregnancy. Group IV received an oral dose of Mirazid (300 mg/Kg). The results showed that the distribution of implantation sites of fetuses in the uterine horns was found unequal in infected groups which completed the pregnancy. The mean number of fetuses was smaller in infected, treated or both groups when compared with control groups. Also, there were many abortion cases, especially when infection progressed. In the present study, infection was found to induce some growth retardation among fetuses as compared with the control ones. Growth retardation was indicated by highly significant decrease in their body weight and length, abnormal skin and limbs, kinky tail, kyphotic body and hematoma formation. Treatment with Mirazid did not improve these malformation as well as control ones. In conclusion, more studies are needed regarding the relationship between the pregnancy and schistosomiasis as the present work reflects the deleterious effect of schistosomiasis on the pregnant mice and on the fetal outcomes. In addition, the results reflected, for the first time, the unsafely using of Mirazid during pregnancy where announcement should be clear to avoid Mirazid in treatment of schistosome-infected pregnant women.

Praziquantel (PZQ) is widely and effectively used in the control of bilharziasis which constitutes a major endemic health problem in Egypt. There is no available work concerned hepatotoxicity and chondrodystrophy of praziquantel with or without bilharzial infestation on pregnant women. The present study aimed to evaluate the hepatotoxicity and chondrodystrophy of PZQ in infested mother mice. Eighty virgin and fertile male albino mice(one male/three females) with an average body weight of 25 to 28 g were used. Mating was carried out, and pregnancy was determined by examining sperm in vaginal smears. Pregnant mice were arranged into four groups; control, praziquantel-treatment ((600 mg/kg) divided into 2 equal doses of 300 mg/kg given 8 hours at 8th day of gestation) and bilharzial infested mother with or without praziquantel-treatment. Pregnant mice were sacrificed at 16 days of gestation and both livers and femoral bone were incised and subjected to histological investigations. PZQ-...

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease, second to malaria, affecting human's tropics and sub-tropics. The disease condition varies in severity depending on parasite species and strain, organ system infected, geographical region, genetic constitution of the individual and nutritional status. The drug praziquantel has been the choice of drug for the treatment of schistosomisias; however, the effective dose, 450 mg/kg body weight, which is currently being used, is not able to clear the worms completely. This work sought to determine the effective dose of praziquantel in different mouse strains of which the results can be applied in human treatment. Experimental groups comprising of twelve mice and eighteen for the infected control groups were designed for both BALB/c and Swiss mice. At four weeks post infection, mice were treated with varying dosages of praziquantel namely PZQ 1350, PZQ 900, PZQ 450 mg/kg body weight. At week 6, all mice were perfused to recover adult worms. Gross pathology and histopathology of the liver tissue were examined. Serum samples were collected to determine immunological responses in all the groups at week 4 and 6. Schistosomule soluble protein (SSP) and schistosomule warm antigen preparation (SWAP) specific antibody ELISA were done. Results indicated that in the experimental groups PZQ 1350 mg/kg body weight had few numbers of worms recovered in BALB/c and Swiss mice, that is, 30.30 and 34.08%, respectively, and a high worm reduction, that is, 69.70 and 65.92% respectively. The SSP and SWAP specific IgG responses were high due to synergistic effect between the drug and immune responses. Granuloma formation was greatly reduced in PZQ 1350 mg/kg body weight group in comparison to other treatments. The findings of this study imply that the higher the dosage of praziquantel, the more the protection against Schistosoma mansoni infection, since PZQ 1350 indicated better responses in worm recovery, worm reduction, immunological response and pathology compared to other dosages. These results may be incorporated into the design of a more effective dose; however, the toxicity of the high dose should be investigated. The findings also indicate that Swiss mouse was a better permissive host than BALB/c, as it allowed more parasites to mature instead of destroying them. Hence, it is a better model in schistosomiasis experimental studies.

PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Background One of the considerable challenges of schistosomiasis chemotherapy is the inefficacy of praziquantel (PZQ) at the initial phase of the infection. Immature schistosomes are not susceptible to PZQ at the curative dose. Here, we investigated the efficacy of different PZQ regimens administered during the initial stage of Schistosoma mansoni infection in mice. Methodology/Principal findings Two months-old mice were individually infected with 80 S. mansoni cercariae and divided into one infected-untreated control group (IC) and four PZQ-treated groups: PZQ at 100 mg/kg/day for five consecutive days (group PZQ1), PZQ at 100 mg/kg/day for 28 days (group PZQ2), PZQ at 18 mg/kg/day for 28 days (group PZQ3) and a single dose of PZQ at 500 mg/kg (group PZQ4). The treatment started on day one post-infection (p.i), and each group of mice was divided into two subgroups euthanized on day 36 or 56 p.i, respectively. We determined the mortality rate, the parasitological burden, the hepatic...

Parasitology Research, 2013

Conflicting reports are found in the literature about the antischistosomal efficacy of Mirazid (MZ), which is a special formulation of myrrh obtained from the stem of the plant Commiphora molmol. This initiated the present study to assess this drug for the first time in experimental schistosomiasis japonicum. Mice were divided into four groups: infected untreated control (I); infected treated with MZ, 500 mg/kg (II); infected treated with MZ, 250 mg/kg (III); and infected treated with praziquantel (PZQ), 200 mg/ kg (IV). The drugs were given 7 weeks post-infection for five successive days. All animals were killed 3 weeks posttreatment. Results showed no signs of antibilharzial activity of MZ. Total worms, total tissue egg load, egg developmental stages, and granuloma area were not affected by any of the MZ treatment regimens as compared to the infected untreated group (P>0.05 for all variables). These results were in contrast to those obtained in PZQ-treated animals in which 82.82 % total worm reduction, 94.62 % egg reduction, and 86.35 % granuloma area reduction were ob-served. Also, it significantly increased the percentage of dead ova and decreased the percentage of mature ova with complete absence of immature ones in comparison with the control group (P<0.01 for all variables). In conclusion, the results of the current study raise serious doubts about the antischistosomal activity of MZ.

The main problem in schistosomal hepatic morbidity is fibrosis and extensive scarring induced by living eggs. In this study, we tried to study the effect of treatment using antihelminthic drug (PZQ) and/or antifibrotic drugs (PTX and silymarin) in combination with immunization. The parasitological parameters, the dynamics of serum-specific immunoglobulins and splenic cytokines associated with changes in granuloma diameter were assessed. Naïve mice were immunized intravenously with 10 ug of SEA in three doses at 2 days intervals 6 weeks before infection. Animals were infected by tail immersion with 100 cercariae and divided into several groups. Three groups were treated with PZQ, PTX or silymarin administered alone. Another two groups were treated with PZQ combined with PTX or silymarin. All treated animals and respective controls were sacrificed 12 weeks post infection. Immunization did not affect worm reduction , but slight decrease in granuloma diameter, increase in immunoglobulins and cytokines was observed. Reduction in worm burden was associated with reduction in ova count and changes in oogram pattern which were mainly due to PZQ treatment. Increasing reduction in granuloma diameter, elevation of immunogloulins and cytokines levels were observed in the groups treated with PZQ alone or cmbined with PTX or silymarin. In conclusion, in this study, treatment with PZQ complemented with immunization resulted in significant reduction of parasitological parameters and rise of specific Igs. Addition of antifibrotic drugs PTX or silymarin to PZQ, potentiated an antipathology effect which minimized and ameliorated liver fibrosis by inhibition of HSC activation and accentuation of the effect of suppressor Treg cells. [Journal of American Science 2010; 6(5):208-216]. (ISSN: 1545-1003).

Experimental and Molecular Pathology, 1988

The effect of specific chemotherapy on hepatic fibrosis was studied in Swiss albino mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni.

Experimental Parasitology, 2012

The therapeutic effects of praziquantel (PZQ) against a Schistosoma mansoni isolate derived from Nectomys squamipes (isolate R) and a susceptible isolate (BH) were analyzed in Swiss mice by fecal egg counting, adult worm reduction and oogram pattern. Infected mice were orally administrated with 62.5 mg/kg (group 1), 125 mg/kg (group 2), 250 mg/kg (group 3) and 500 mg/kg (group 4), each dose divided over 3 days (49, 50 and 51 days after infection). The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). In regard to isolate R, no fecal eggs were observed with 250 mg/Kg and 500 mg/kg (p < 0.05), whereas BH excretion reached zero with all doses. Mean worm burden reduction was significantly (p < 0.05) higher at the two highest concentrations, regardless of isolate. At 62.5 mg/kg, the percentage of immature eggs varied from 17% (isolate R) to 38% (isolate BH). At 125 mg/kg, the percentage of immature eggs varied from 20% (isolate R) to 16% (isolate BH). At 250 mg/kg, immature eggs dropped significantly to 1% (isolate R) and 4% (isolate BH). At 500 mg/kg, no immature eggs were found in isolate R, whereas in BH was 8%. No dosage significantly (p > 0.05) affected the percentage of mature eggs, regardless of isolate. There was a large increase (p < 0.001) in the percentages of dead eggs in all treated groups of 62% and 64% in groups 3 and 4, respectively (isolate R). The percentage of dead eggs rose from 34% (group 1) to 58% (group 3) in isolate BH. Although group 4 showed lowest increase in the percentage of dead eggs (46%), it was higher (p < 0.001) compared to the 8% in the control. Our findings indicate that the wild isolate from N. squamipes is susceptible to PZQ.

Journal of High Institute of Public Health, 2017

Background: Schistosomiasis is one of the neglected tropical diseases with recent evidences about the high prevalence among preschool-age children. The pediatric formulation of Praziquantel (PZQ) has to be assessed for the efficacy as it gave controversial results in several countries. Objective(s): The current study aimed at evaluating the efficacy of the pediatric suspension of PZQ against Schistosoma mansoni Egyptian strain in the experimental animals. Methods: 150 Swiss albino mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni were divided into three groups, the first group was treated with 600 mg/kg body weight of PZQ pediatric suspension, the second group was treated with 600 mg/kg PZQ tablets and the third one received no treatment as a control. The efficacy of the pediatric formulation was experimentally evaluated in comparison with the tablet formulation as a benchmark on the basis of the following specific parasitological parameters (worm burden, tissue egg load, and oogram pattern i.e. percentage of dead, live or immature eggs shown in the stool sample). Results: The comparison between the mean egg count per gram stool in the two groups pediatric suspension of PZQ (Epiquantel) and adult tablets of PZQ (Distocide), and the control group by applying one way ANOVA revealed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05) between the mean egg count in both treated groups (Epiquantel&Distocide) and their control group. The reduction of the total worm burden caused by Epiquantel®was96.9%, while that of Distocide®was86.7%, they were found to be statistically significant(p<0.05) in comparison with the control group. Epiquantel® reduced the male worms by 100% and the females were reduced by 94.1%. Distocide showed a similar effect, it reduced the worms by 88.4% and 85.1% for males and females respectively. The administration of a single oral dose of both Epiquantel® and Distocide® resulted in a statistically significant reduction (p<0.05) in the mean egg count per gram tissue either the liver or the wall of small intestine when compared to their infected untreated control group. Complete absence of immature egg stages, high reduction in the mature eggs, and the increase in the dead eggs were observed in both Epiquantel® and Distocide® groups when compared to the control group. Conclusion: The results prescribed that the pediatric suspension formula of PZQ is as efficient as the tablet formula against Schistosoma mansoni (Egyptian CD strain) in the mouse model. It could be recommended for pediatric treatment.

Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 1989

Combined low doses of praziquantel and oxamniquine were tested against different stages of Schistosoma munsoni in infected Swiss albino mice. The effect of combination therapy (ti the curative dose of praziquantel plus s the curative dose of oxamni-. quine) was compared with the effect of each drug alone, in reduced or full dose. Comparison with infected untreated controls was also made. Drug effects were evaluated on different growth stages of schistosomes by administering the drugs 24 h before infection and b h, 1, 2, 3; 4 and 3 weeks after infection. Animals were killed 8 weeks after infection. Worm burden, distribution, tissue egg load and oogram pattern were used in assessing drug efficacy. A potentiating effect was observed in animals receiving combination therapy. The combination regimen was most effective 4 h after infection, producing 96% worm reduction; eggs were not detected in the liver or intestine. Five weeks after infection the same regimen resulted in 98% reduction in the tissue egg load.