EFFICACY OF A COMBINATION OF METRIFONATE AND PRAZIQUANTEL IN THE TREATMENT OF SCHISTOSOMA-MANSONI INFECTION IN ALBINO MICE

This study aimed to test the therapeutic effect of two antischistosomal drugs metrifonate (CAS 52-68-6) praziquantel (GAS 55268-74-1), either alone or in combination, on mice infected with schistosoma marsoni. Both drugs were given in half of their therapeutic doses 8 weeks post infection. Animals were sacrificed two weeks after the last dose. The efficacy of the drugs was evaluated using the number of ova/g tissue the distribution and the number of Schistosoma worms. Praziquantel and metrifonate alone produced about 91 % and 22 % reduction in total worm burden. The reduction in ova count in intestine and liver was 96 % and 85 %, respectively, using praziquantel alone while it was only 6 and 12 %, respectively, after metrifonate treatment. After treatment with both drugs given in combination the number of ova count was not changed as compared with praziquantel alone; also there was no change in the worm load as compared with praziquantel. It is concluded that a combination of a low dose of praziquantel with metrifonate failed to produce any significantly better effect.