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Effects of potential inhibitors on Brugia pahangi in vitro: macrofilaricidal action and inhibition of microfilarial production

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

G. C. Barker
Affiliation:
The Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK
J. G. Mercer
Affiliation:
The Department of Biochemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
J. A. Svoboda
Affiliation:
Insect and Nematode Hormone Laboratory, B.A.R.C, U.S.D.A., Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
M. J. Thompson
Affiliation:
Insect and Nematode Hormone Laboratory, B.A.R.C, U.S.D.A., Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
H. H. Rees
Affiliation:
The Department of Biochemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
R. E. Howells
Affiliation:
The Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK

Summary

A series of compounds that apparently disrupt hormonally regulated processes in insects have been examined for effects on the viability and microfilarial production of adult Brugia pahangi cultured in vitro. The azasteroids, 25-azacoprostane and 25-azacholestane, inhibited the production of microfilariae at 5 ppm, the former also exhibiting macrofilaricidal activity at this concentration. The brassinosteroids examined inhibited microfilarial production at 5 ppm but did not affect worm viability. Azadirachtin also proved to be a significant inhibitor of microfilarial release without effect on worm motility or viability. Of all the compounds tested, the non-steroidal amines appeared to be the most promising as potential filaricides, several of them proving to be macrofilaricidal at 1 ppm and affecting microfilarial production at even lower concentrations.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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