EFFECT OF EARLY TREATMENT WITH PRAZIQUANTEL ON SERUM CONNECTIVE-TISSUE METABOLITE MARKERS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH INTESTINAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS-MANSONI
Hi. Hassanein et al., EFFECT OF EARLY TREATMENT WITH PRAZIQUANTEL ON SERUM CONNECTIVE-TISSUE METABOLITE MARKERS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH INTESTINAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS-MANSONI, Arzneimittel-Forschung, 47(1), 1997, pp. 84-87
This work was designed to assess the reflection of early treatment by
praziquantel (GAS 55268-74-1, EMBAY 8440, Biltricide(R)) on serum conn
ective tissue metabolite markers (hyaluronic acid and procollagen III
peptide) in patients with active intestinal schistosomiasis. Children
and adolescent subjects from primary and secondary schools in an endem
ic area of schistosomiasis mansoni were included. Age-matched subjects
from an urban area served as normal controls. All subjects were exami
ned clinically and parasitologically. Detection of hepatitis B seromar
kers was also done. The infected subjects were treated with praziquant
el at a dose of 60 mg/kg of body weight which was repealed after 4 wee
ks. Serum hyaluronic acid and procollagen III peptide were measured by
radioimmunoassay. High hyaluronic acid was encountered in infected su
bjects when compared to their respective age-matched controls. Signifi
cant decrease of 4 and 8 weeks post-treatment was noted when compared
to ist level before treatment. There was no significant change in seru
m procollagen III peptide on comparing infected subjects to their cont
rols, whereas a significant increase was observed in its level after 4
and 8 weeks post-treatment compared to that before treatment. This wo
rk suggests that early treatment of intestinal schistosomiasis with sp
ecific chemotherapy (praziquantel) decreases serum hyaluronic acid and
increases procollagen III peptide probably via downregulation of gran
ulomatous inflammatory cell reaction and activation of collagenase enz
ymes, respectively.