PENTAVALENT ANTIMONY-MANNAN CONJUGATE THERAPY OF EXPERIMENTAL VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS

Pentavalent antimony-mannan (Sb[V]-mannan) was 10-fold more potent tha n sodium stibogluconate in a murine model of visceral leishmaniasis. L iver antimony concentrations were six-fold higher after Sb[V]-mannan t herapy compared with a dose of sodium stibogluconate that was equipote nt in reducing liver parasite burdens. Murine toxicity of Sb[V]-mannan was variable, with a 50% lethal dose (LD(50)) for one preparation tha t was well above the concentration that killed 90% of the parasites, a nd for another preparation was only modestly higher than the concentra tion that killed 90% of the parasites.