G. Hrckova et S. Velebny, EFFECTS OF FREE AND LIPOSOMIZED PRAZIQUANTEL ON WORM BURDEN AND ANTIBODY-RESPONSE IN MICE INFECTED WITH MESOCESTOIDES-CORTI TETRATHYRIDIA, Journal of Helminthology, 69(3), 1995, pp. 213-221
The parasite burden in the liver and peritoneal cavity, and antibody l
evels directed to whole worm extract, have been monitored in serum fro
m ICR-strain mice, infected orally with 55 tetrathyridia of Mesocestoi
des corti (Cestoda, Cyclophyllidea). The subcurative doses (3x or 6x)
of praziquantel (PZQ) (10 mg . kg(-1) body weight) were administered t
o mice from day 14 post infection (p.i.) in two drug formulations: as
PZQ suspended in Dorfman vehicle, or as PZQ incorporated in Liposomes
(lip.PZQ). The appearance of antibodies was time-dependent and correla
ted with the rate of reduction in numbers of tetrathyridia. PZQ in thr
ee and six doses caused the highest fall of parasite numbers in the li
ver on day 1 post therapy (p.t.). In the peritoneal cavity, a similar
reduction in worm burden occurred but only after six doses of the drug
. The worm count in the peritoneal cavity from groups of mice injected
with Lip.PZQ decreased most markedly on day 7 p.t., in the group trea
ted with six doses of the drug. In the liver, the highest larvicidal e
ffect, compared with the controls, was observed 6 days later (i.e. day
13 p.t.), following three doses of lip.PZQ. In all treated groups, tw
o peak values of antitetrathyridial antibody levels were detected betw
een days 1 and 13 p.t. (i.e. days 17 to 29 p.i.), after which there wa
s a gradual but continuous increase in antibody titre. After treatment
with six doses of both drug formulations (PZQ and lip.PZQ), the occur
rence of the first maximum and minimum of antibody serum levels was de
layed 6 days, compared to those groups treated with three doses of the
drugs. Empty liposomes had some immunomodulatory effect on the antibo
dy response, with significant decrease in antibody titres after three
doses over the experimental period, but not after six doses.