Taenia solium is a parasite whose larvae (cysticerci) can locate in the central nervous system of humans and cause neurocysticercosis (NC). The introduction of cysticidal drugs such as albendazole (ABZ) for the treatment of NC has significantly improved its prognosis. However, treatment is not always effective, and the high levels of corticosteroids used to prevent inflammatory complications in this disease could be, partly, the cause of this observation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe current pharmacological treatment of neurocysticercosis is based on two drugs, praziquantel (PZQ) and albendazole; however, suboptimal efficacy has been documented. Previous studies, have documented the activity of mebendazole (MBZ) against Taenia sp, and its capability to cross the blood-brain barrier. Considering this information and in an effort to search other options for neurocysticercosis treatment, the present study was designed to assess the in vitro and in vivo activity of the PZQ-MBZ combination against Taenia crassiceps metacestodes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCurrently, neurocysticercosis treatment involves two drugs: albendazole and praziquantel; however, their efficacy is suboptimal and new cysticidal drugs are needed. The present paper reports the cysticidal activity of extracts of the bark from Prunus serotina against Taenia crassiceps cysts and the isolation and identification of the main components of the most active extract. Results showed that all extracts displayed in vitro cysticidal activity (EC=17.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSeveral physiological events in the brain are regulated by the endocannabinoid system (ECS). While synthetic cannabinoid receptor (CBr) agonists such as WIN55,212-2 act directly on CBr, agents like URB597, a fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor, induce a more "physiological" activation of CBr by increasing the endogenous levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA). Herein, we compared the pre- and post-treatment efficacy of URB597 and WIN55,212-2 on different endpoints evaluated in the toxic model produced by the mitochondrial toxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) in mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the search of new alternatives for neurocysticercosis treatment, the cysticidal activity of organic extracts of Teloxys graveolens was evaluated. The in vitro activity of hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts against Taenia crassiceps cysts was tested and the selectivity index relative to human fibroblasts was determined. Subsequently, the in vivo efficacy of the methanolic extract at doses of 200 and 500 mg/kg in the murine cysticercosis model was evaluated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the search of new alternatives for neurocysticercosis treatment, Taenia crassiceps ORF strain cysticerci have been used instead of T. solium for in vitro studies. Up to date, the main criteria for the use of the murine cysticercosis model for drug efficacy evaluation have not been assessed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe effect of two water-soluble polymers: pectin and polyvinylpyrrolidone in combination with beta-cyclodextrin, on the dissolution, bioavailability and cysticidal efficacy of albendazole was evaluated using a commercial suspension as reference product. The dissolution of the albendazole-beta-cyclodextrin-pectin formulation was slow and incomplete (44.7%).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLocal diminution of the neural growth factor (NGF) contributes to the apparition of diabetic neuropathy. All-trans retinoic acid (RA) increases the expression of neural growth factor and its receptor participating in translation pathways. This study evaluates RA as a treatment of diabetic neuropathy: 120 mice were assigned randomly to 4 groups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite albendazole being the drug of choice in neurocysticercosis treatment, its low solubility limits its bioavailability; therefore, more research is required in order to find new molecules with cestocidal activity and adequate aqueous solubility. A set of 13 benzimidazole derivatives were synthesized and their in vitro activities were evaluated against Taenia crassiceps cysts, using albendazole sulfoxide as reference molecule, showing that two of them exhibited good activity. Molecular modelling revealed that the cysticidal efficacy depends on the presence on the molecule of an H in the 1-position, a planar carbamate group at 2-position, and if the substituent in 5-position is voluminous, it should be orthogonal to the benzimidazole ring.
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