The anthelmintic efficacy of natural plant cysteine proteinases against Hymenolepis microstoma in vivo. Issue 5 (September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mansur, F.; Luoga, W.; Buttle, D.J.; Duce, I.R.; Lowe, A.; Behnke, J.M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of helminthology. Volume 89:Issue 5(2015)
• Page Start: 601
• Page End: 611
• Publication Date: 2015-09
• Subjects: Helminthology -- Periodicals; 592.3
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022149X14000637
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0022-149X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="normal"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Little is known about the efficacy of cysteine proteinases (CP) as anthelmintics for cestode infections <italic>in vivo</italic>. <italic>Hymenolepis microstoma</italic> is a natural parasite of house mice, and provides a convenient model system for the assessment of novel drugs for anthelmintic activity against cestodes. The experiments described in this paper indicate that treatment of <italic>H. microstoma</italic> infections in mice with the supernatant of papaya latex (PLS), containing active cysteine proteinases, is only minimally efficacious. The statistically significant effects seen on worm burden and biomass showed little evidence of dose dependency, were temporary and the role of cysteine proteinases as the active principles in PLS was not confirmed by specific inhibition with E-64. Worm fecundity was not affected by treatment at the doses used. We conclude also that this <italic>in vivo</italic> host–parasite system is not sensitive enough to be used reliably for the detection of cestocidal activity of compounds being screened as potential, novel anthelmintics.</p> </abstract>