EFFECT OF PRAZIQUANTEL TREATMENT ON LIPID PEROXIDE LEVELS AND SUPEROXIDE-DISMUTASE ACTIVITY IN TISSUES OF HEALTH AND SCHISTOSOMA-MANSONI-INFECTED MICE

The elevated levels of lipid peroxide product as malondialdehyde (MDA) in plasma, liver, spleen, intestine and kidney of Schistosome-infecte d mice were differently ameliorated by treated with praziquantel (EMBA Y 8440, CAS 55268-74-1) (2 x 500 mg/kg body wt.) being nearly normaliz ed in plasma and intestine, moderately improved in liver and slightly affected in spleen and kidney: However, the drug failed to affect the MDA levels in the different organs of healthy mice. Moreover, the incr eased hepatic superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in infected mice was normalized while the decreased activities in the other tissues were f urther decreased than normal values in response to praziquantel treatm ent. Interestingly in healthy mice, the drug similarly inhibited SOD a ctivities in blood, spleen and kidney. The specificity of this action remains to be clarified. Possible explanations of these findings are g iven.