EFFECT OF COLCHICINE ON SCHISTOSOMA-INDUCED RENAL AMYLOIDOSIS IN SYRIAN GOLDEN-HAMSTERS

Seventy Syrian golden hamsters were infected with Schistosoma haematob ium, and 10 uninfected hamsters served as negative controls, Of the sc histosome-infected hamsters, 10 served as positive controls (infected but untreated) and the rest (60 hamsters) received treatment, In 30 ha msters treatment was given 9 weeks after infection (before the appeara nce of renal amyloidosis) and in the other 30 it was given after the a ppearance of amyloid deposits, 15 weeks after infection. Each treatmen t group was subdivided into 3 groups (10 hamsters each) in which treat ment was either anti-schistosomal alone, combined antischistosomal and colchicine, or colchicine alone. Eighteen weeks after infection half of the animals in each group were sacrificed, while the rest were sacr ificed 24 weeks after infection. Kidney specimens were evaluated semiq uantitatively for renal amyloid deposits. Significant reductions in re nal amyloid deposits and proteinuria were observed when combined treat ment was given. This was nearly complete with early treatment and only partial when treatment was given late. When colchicine was given alon e, a partial but significant reduction in proteinuria with no recogniz able effect on renal amyloid deposits was observed, We conclude that c olchicine is effective for the prevention and cure of schistosome-rela ted renal amyloidosis in golden hamsters.