THE EFFECT OF EXPERIMENTAL FASCIOLIASIS ON THE PHARMACOKINETICS OF ANTIPYRINE AND SULFADIMIDINE IN DESERT SHEEP

Healthy adult male desert sheep were experimentally infected with Fasc iola gigantica, to investigate the influence of experimental fasciolas is on the pharmacokinetics of antipyrine and sulphadimidine. Each anim al received 500 metacercariae orally. The experimental infection was c onfirmed histologicalIy, by detection of Fasciola eggs in faeces and b y measuring the activities of the enzymes sorbitol dehydrogenase (SD), glutamate dehydrogenase (GD) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in plasma during the course of the disease. Changes in the pharmacokineti cs of antipyrine and sulphadimidine were reported in the experimentall y infected animals. Significant prolongation of antipyrine half life w as observed 16 weeks after infection. The half-life of sulphadimidine was also significantly prolonged 5, 9 and 16 weeks after infection. Cl earance of the sulphonamide was decreased significantly 5 and 9 weeks after infection and it regained its pre-infection value 16 weeks after infection.