TOPICAL CHEMOTHERAPY FOR EXPERIMENTAL AFRICAN TRYPANOSOMIASIS WITH CEREBRAL INVOLVEMENT - THE USE OF MELARSOPROL COMBINED WITH THE 5-NITROIMIDAZOLE, MEGAZOL

Megazol, one of a number of related 5-nitroimidazoles, can be dissolve d in dimethylsulphoxide and the solution can be converted into a gel b y the addition of hydroxypropylcellulose which facilitates the ease an d accuracy of administration. This megazol gel, when used in combinati on with melarsoprol (3.6%) in propylene glycol gel, will cure experime ntal CNS-trypanosomiasis in mice. A single application of 0.1 ml of me larsoprol (3.6%) gel plus 0.1 ml of either 8 or 16 mg/ml megazol gel s uccessfully treated experimental CNS-trypanosomiasis while two consecu tive days' treatment with 0.05 ml melarsoprol and 0.1 ml of 16 or 32 m g/ml megazol gels also produced satisfactory cures.