Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Comparative in vitro effect of artemether and albendazole on adult Toxocara canis

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Since the integrity of Toxocara canis cuticle is essential for the nutritive and protective functions, light and scanning electron microscopic studies were undertaken to assess, for the first time, whether artemether had any effect on the cuticle including lips and sensory organs following 24 and 48 h incubation in vitro. The results were compared with those observed in the worm cuticle following incubation in albendazole, as it was 100% effective against adult nematode. The body cover changes seen after in vitro administration of artemether were similar to that induced by albendazole sulfoxide, active form, (ABZ-SO). However, the earlier onset of those changes was recorded with the former. The swollen appearance of the anterior end of T. canis, including the lips, distortion of some sensory papillae, and appearance of a number of lesions on the lips, were observed during in vitro action of artemether. Cuticular disruption had also been observed in adult T canis exposed to ABZ-SO. The surface changes were more severe than those observed following incubation in artemether, with which limited loss of the cuticle occurred in the lips of nematode but was not as widespread as that seen with ABZ-SO. However, the cuticular swelling of the anterior end of T canis was more pronounced than that with ABZ-SO. In the present study, artemether presented itself as a drug that might become important in nematode chemotherapy, besides its broad spectrum of activity against various trematodes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Jabr OA, Storey DM, Akrigg A, Bryden AS (1997) Prevalence of Toxocara ova in dog faeces. Vet Rec 140:211–212

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez LI, Mottier ML, Lanusse CE (2006) Drug transfer into target helminth parasites. Trends Parasitol 23:97–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Aukštikalniene R, Kublickiene O, Vyšniauskas A, Žilinskiene R (2000) Histological investigations of Toxocara canis tissues and their micromorphological changes under the action of albendazole in vivo. Acta Zool Lit 10:74–84

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogojavlenskij JK, Bogolepova II, Opushko NB (1982) Microstructure of parasite nematodes. Science, Moscow (in Russian)

    Google Scholar 

  • Bricker CS, Depenbusch JW, Bennett JL, Thompson DP (1983) The relationship between tegumental disruption and muscle contraction in Schistosoma mansoni exposed to various compounds. Z Parasitenkd 69:61–71

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan JF, Fairweather I, Brennan GP, Trudgett A, Hoey EM (2003) Fasciola hepatica: surface and internal tegumental changes induced by treatment in vitro with sulphoxide metabolite of albendazole (‘Valbazen’). Parasitology 126:141–153

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carson FL (1926) Histotechnology. A self Instructional Text. ASCP, Chicago, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • Despommier D (2003) Toxocariasis: clinical aspects, epidemiology, medical ecology, and molecular aspects. Clin Microbiol Rev 16:265–272

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Deutz A, Fuchs K, Auer H, Kerbl U, Aspöck H, Köfer J (2005) Toxocara infestations in Austria: a study on the risk of infections of farmers, slaughterhouse staff, hunters and veterinarians. Parasitol Res 97:390–394

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fetterer R, Rew RS, Knight R (1982) Comparative efficacy of albendazole against Fasciola hepatica in sheep and calves: relationship to serum drug metabolite levels. Vet Parasitol 11:309–316

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Golenser J, Waknine JH, Krugliak M, Hunt NH, Grau GE (2006) Current perspectives on the mechanism of action of artemisinins. Int J Parasitol 36:1427–1441

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanser E, Mehlhorn H, Hoeben D, Vlaminck K (2002) In vitro studies on the effects of flubendazole against Toxocara canis and Ascaris suum. Parasitol Res 89:63–74

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Haynes RK (2006) From artemisinin to new artemisinin antimalarials: biosynthesis, extraction, old and new derivatives, stereochemistry and medicinal chemistry requirements. Curr Top Med Chem 6:509–537

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ingold K, Bigler P, Thorman W, Cavaliero T, Gottstein B, Hemphill A (1999) Efficacies of albendazole sulphoxide and albendazole sulphone against in vitro cultivated Echinococcus multilocularis metacestodes. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 43:1052–1061

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Keiser J, Utzinger J (2007) Artemisinins and synthetic trioxolanes in the treatment of helminth infections. Curr Opin Infect Dis 20:605–612

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Keiser J, Morson G (2008) Fasciola hepatica: Tegumental alterations in adult flukes following in vitro and in vivo adminstration of artesunate and artemether. Exp Parasitol 118:228–237

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kozan E, Sevimli FK, Birdane FM, Adanir R (2008) Efficacy of eprinomectin against Toxocara canis. Parasitol Res 102:397–400

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lacey E (1990) Mode of action of benzimidazoles. Parasitol Today 6:112–115

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mackenstedt U, Schmidt S, Mehlhorn H, Stoye M, Traeder W (1993) Effects of pyrantel pamoate on adult and preadult Toxocara canis worms; an electron microscope and autoradiography study. Parasitol Res 79:567–578

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Markoski MM, Trindade ES, Cabrera G, Laschuk A, Galanti N, Zaha A, Nader HB, Ferreira HB (2006) Praziquantel and albendazole damaging action on in vitro developing Mesocestoides corti (Platyhelminthes: Cestoda). Parasitol Int 55:51–61

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martin RJ, Robertson AP, Björn H (1997) Target sites of anthelmintics. Parasitol 114:111–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H, Harder A (1997) Effects of the synergistic action of febantel and pyrantel on the nematode Heterakis spumosa: a light and transmission electron microscopy study. Parasitol Res 83:419–434

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mottier ML, Alvarez LI, Pis MA, Lanusse CE (2003) Transtegumental diffusion of benzimidazole anthelmintics into Moniezia benedeni: correlation with their octanol-water partition coefficients. Exp Parasitol 103:1–7

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Overgaauw PAM (1997) Prevalence of intestinal nematodes of dogs and cats in the Netherlands. Vet Quart 19:14–17

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perez-Serrano J, Casado N, Denegri G, Rodriguez-Caabeiro F (1994) The effects of albendazole and albendazole sulphoxide combination therapy on Echinococcus granulosus in vitro. Int J Parasitol 24:219–224

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prichard R (1994) Anthelmintic resistance. Vet Parasitol 54:259–268

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Roberts L, Janvory J Jr (2000) Gerald D Schmidt and Larry S. Roberts' foundations of parasitology, 6th edn. McGraw-Hill, New York, USA

    Google Scholar 

  • Sangster NC, Prichard RK, Lacey E (1985) Tubulin and benzimidazole-resistance in Trichostrongylus colubriformis (Nematoda). J Parasitol 71:645–651

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt J (1998) Effects of benzimidazole anthelmintics as microtubule-active drugs on the synthesis and transport of surface glycoconjugates in Hymenolepis microstoma, Echinostoma caproni and Schistosoma mansoni. Parasitol Res 84:362–368

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shalaby HA, El Namaky AH, Kamel ROA (2009) In vitro effect of artemether and triclabendazole on adult Fasciola gigantica. Vet Parasitol 160:76–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Skrjabin KI, Shikhobalova NP, Mozgovoi AA (1991) Oxyurata and Ascaridata. In: Skrjabin KI (ed) Key to parasitic nematoda, vol 2. Brill, Leiden

    Google Scholar 

  • Stettler M, Siles-Lucas M, Sarciron E, Lawton P, Gottstein P, Hemphill A (2001) Echinococcus multilocularis alkaline phosphatase as a marker for metacestode damage induced by in vitro drug treatment with albendazole sulfoxide and albendazole sulfone. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 45:2256–2262

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stitt AW, Fairweather I (1993) Fasciola hepatica: tegumental surface changes in adult and juvenile flukes following treatment in vitro with the sulphoxide metabolite of triclabendazole (Fasinex). Parasitol Res 79:529–536

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson D, Geary T (1995) The structure and function of helminth surfaces. In: Marr JJ, Muller M (eds) Biochemistry and molecular biology of parasites. Academic, London, UK, pp 203–232

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Urrea-Paris MA, Moreno MJ, Casado N, Rodriguez-Caabeiro F (2000) In vitro effect of praziquantel and albendazole combination therapy on the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Parasitol Res 86:957–964

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Utzinger J, Xiao SH, Tanner M, Keiser J (2007) Artemisinins for schistosomiasis and beyond. Curr Opin Investig Drugs 8:105–116

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • White NJ (1996) The treatment of malaria. N Engl J Med 335:800–806

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Woodrow CJ, Haynes RK, Krishna S (2005) Artemisinins. Postgrad Med J 81:71–78

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Xiao SH, Guo J, Chollet J, Wu J, Tanner M, Utzinger J (2003) Effect of artemether on Schistosoma japonicum: dose-efficacy relationship, and changes in worm morphology and histopathology. Chinese J Parasitol Parasit Dis 22:148–153

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Parasitology and Animal Diseases, National Research Center, Giza, Egypt

    H. A. Shalaby, S. Abdel-Shafy, K. A. Abdel-Rahman & A. A. Derbala

Authors
  1. H. A. Shalaby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Abdel-Shafy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. K. A. Abdel-Rahman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. A. A. Derbala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to H. A. Shalaby.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Shalaby, H.A., Abdel-Shafy, S., Abdel-Rahman, K.A. et al. Comparative in vitro effect of artemether and albendazole on adult Toxocara canis . Parasitol Res 105, 967–976 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1479-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-009-1479-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation