EFFICACY OF AMINOSIDINE ADMINISTERED ALONE OR IN COMBINATION WITH MEGLUMINE ANTIMONIATE FOR THE TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS CAUSED BY LEISHMANIA-INFANTUM

BALB/c mice with an experimental visceral leishmaniasis produced by Le ishmania infantum were treated with aminosidine sulphate alone or comb ined with meglumine antimoniate. Parasite burdens in the liver and spl een were determined by subculturings using a sensitive microtitration method. Treatments with aminosidine alone decreased the parasite burde ns compared with those observed in the untreated mice, but were less e fficacious than meglumine antimoniate. Aminosidine combined with meglu mine antimoniate resulted in an increased efficacy compared with eithe r drug given alone. However, these regimens were associated with toxic ities and with persistence of hepatic and splenic leishmanial foci aft er drug administrations.