The anthelmintic action of praziquantel
Parasitology TodayPublished 1 May 1988
William Harnett
Citations78
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TL;DR
Although fairly expensive (around US$4.00 per single dose), praziquantel is now the most favoured drug against all forms of schistosomiasis, and against many other helminth infections.
Abstract
Although fairly expensive (around US$4.00 per single dose) praziquantel is now the most favoured drug against all forms of schistosomiasis, and against many other helminth infections. It is now marketed by four companies: E. Merck and Bayer (F.R.G.), Ames-Myers (USA), and Shin-Poon Pharmaceuticals (S. Korea). Administration of praziquantel typically causes paralysis of susceptible worms, or damage to their tegument, making them more vulnerable to host enzymes or antibody-dependent immune effector mechanisms. Other effects may also be involved. Here, Bill Harnett reviews the range of anthelmintic effects displayed by this remarkable drug.
Keywords
Immunology and MicrobiologyEnvironmental Science
Parasitology ResearchPraziquantel, a new broad-spectrum antischistosomal agent
415 Citations1977R. G�nnert, P. J. Andrews
Praziquantel is equally effective against both sexes of S. mansoni and less effective against unpaired and therefore juvenile female worms, but fully effective against single male worms.
Experimental ParasitologySchistosoma mansoni: Chemotherapy of infections of different ages
366 Citations1986Dündar Sabah, Cathy Fletcher +2 more
Worms that had been subjected to amoscanate or hycanthone in the third week after infection showed evidence of this as adults in having a reduced fecundity, and factors such as worm or host physiology, or host immune status may have had roles in the outcome of chemotherapy at different stages of maturation of S. mansoni.
The Journal of Infectious DiseasesEffects of Praziquantel on Different Developmental Stages of Schistosoma mansoni in Vitro and in Vivo
212 Citations1985Shaoxuan Xiao, Brian A. Catto +1 more
Stage-specific resistance of S. mansoni to praziquantel does occur in vitro and correlates better with the tegumental than the muscular action of the drug, as well as with the peak serum levels and time course of unchanged prazquantel associated with reduction of worm burden in vivo.
The Journal of ImmunologyThe chemotherapeutic effect of praziquantel against <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i> is dependent on host antibody response.
197 Citations1987Paul J. Brindley, Alan Sher
The results formally demonstrate that the mechanism of action of PZQ, the most important anti-schistosomal compound in current use, involves a synergy between the drug and the humoral immune response of the host, and suggest that the relevant effector antibodies act directly against parasite antigens which become exposed on the surface of the worms as a consequence of interaction with the drug.
Parasitology ResearchLight and electron microscopic studies on the effect of praziquantel onSchistosoma mansoni, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, andFasciola hepatica (trematoda) in vitro
180 Citations1980Benedikt Becker, H. Mehlhorn +3 more
The fine structure of the tegument of three trematode species, Schistosoma mansoni, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, and Fasciola hepatica, was studied by means of light scanning and transmission electron microscopy after in vitro exposure to 0, 1,10, and 100 μg/ml of the anthelmintic praziquantel for 5, 15, 30, and 60 min.
ParasitologyIncreased exposure of parasite antigens at the surface of adult male <i>Schistosoma mansoni</i> exposed to praziquantel <i>in vitro</i>
130 Citations1986William Harnett, J. R. Kusel
It is suggested that praziquantel may lower the ability of the parasite to evade host immunity by increasing the exposure of parasite antigens capable of acting as targets for host antibody, or antibody-armed cells at the worm surface.
Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and HygieneEvidence for an immune-dependent action of praziquantel on Schistosoma mansoni in mice
128 Citations1987Michael J. Doenhoff, Dündar Sabah +3 more
It is shown that infections 5 weeks old, against which the drug alone is sub-optimally active, are more effectively killed by a combination of drug and a rabbit antiserum raised against adult worm antigens.
Experimental ParasitologySchistosoma mansoni: Reduced efficacy of chemotherapy in infected T-cell-deprived mice
108 Citations1985Dündar Sabah, Courtney V. Fletcher +2 more
The effect of host immunosuppression on the efficacy of schistosomicidal chemotherapy has been tested in T-cell-deprived CBA mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni, and the possibility that hycanthone, oxamniquine, praziquantel, and previously studied antimony act synergistically with immune effector mechanisms in killing adultschistosomes is discussed.
Parasitology ResearchTreatment of fish parasites
103 Citations1985G�nter Schmahl, Heinz Mehlhorn
It is suggested that therapy against Monogenea and Dactylogyrus extensus in carp fingerlings may be done with 10 mg praziquantel/l for 3 h at 22° C during storage in smaller tanks.
Parasitology ResearchA comparison of the susceptibility to praziquantel of Schistosoma haematobium, S. japonicum, S. mansoni, S. intercalatum and S. mattheei in hamsters
98 Citations1977G. Webbe, C. James
The present study shows that this new compound exhibits a high degree of activity against the three major schistosome species S. haematobium, S. japonicum and S. mattheei in the hamster, with no apparent significant differences in efficacy against the different geographical strains of the parasites used in the trials.
Pesticide SciencePraziquantel—a new cestocidea
48 Citations1977Herbert Thomas, Peter R. Andrews
First studies on the mechanism of action in H. diminuta have shown that praziquantel acts on the carbohydrate metabolism of the parasite, and is effective in vitro at very low concentrations.
Journal of HelminthologyPraziquantel adversely affects protoscoleces of <i>Echinococcus granulosus</i> in vitro
25 Citations1986R.C.A. Thompson, J.A. Reynoldson +1 more
There is a need to reappraise the metacestocidal potential of praziquantel, particularly with regard to the development of new drug regimes employing multiple dose or sustained release schedules, because of the shown adverse effects on protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus in vitro.
Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São PauloActivity of praziquantel against Hymenolepis nana, at different development stages, in experimentally infected mice
11 Citations1984Rubens Campos, Maria Cecília Reale Vieira Bressan +1 more
Animal findings indicate that in the treatment of human hymenolepiasis praziquantel, 25 mg/kg, should be taken twice, 10 days apart, so that the second dose kills the larval and juvenile forms which have survived the first one.
Parasitology ResearchThe effect of praziquantel on the pseudophyllidean cestodeBothriocephalus acheilognathi in vitro
5 Citations1985D. W. Pool
AdultBothriocephalus acheilognathi were incubated in solutions containing 0 (control), 1.0 and 100 μg praziquantel per ml (0, 102, 103, 104 and 105 μgl−1) of 0.9% saline for 5, 15 and 60 min at a temperature of 18°C and revealed considerable tegumental damage particularly in the neck region.