In vitro taurocholate-induced segmentation and clustering of Mesocestoidesvogae (syn. corti) tetrathyridia (Cestoda) - inhibition by cestocidal drugs

Mesocestoides vogae (syn. M. corti) tetrathyridia were cultured in the pres ence of sodium taurocholate, for the purpose of exploring the suitability o f this organism for the in vitro assay of cestocidal drugs. Parasite cluste ring and segmentation were observed as taurocholate-dependent effects in bi phasic and monophasic media, respectively. Interestingly, representative me mbers of two major classes of known cestocidal agents (namely, albendazole and praziquantel) blocked these effects. Furthermore, it was possible to de termine a specific concentration of the drugs that inhibited clustering and segmentation (minimum inhibitory concentration). In contrast, no inhibitio n was obtained in the presence of anthelmintics without cestocidal activity . These observations open the way for further studies focused at understand ing how the activity of the drugs is involved in the suppression of the tau rocholate-induced effects.