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Effect of imidocarb and levamisole on the experimental infection of BALB/c mice by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis

2006; Elsevier BV; Volume: 139; Issue: 1-3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.vetpar.2006.02.032

1873-2550

Flávio H. Rodrigues, Sandra Regina Afonso-Cardoso, Marcio Alex Barros Gomes, Marcelo Emı́lio Beletti, Ademir Rocha, Aparecida Helena Baldo Guimarães, Ignês Candeloro, Maria Aparecida de Souza,

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation

The adverse effects from using currently available drugs for the treatment of leishmaniasis have motivated the search for new therapeutical agents. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of imidocarb and levamisole on the treatment of BALB/c mice experimentally infected by Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. BALB/c mice were infected with 106 promastigotes of L. (L.) amazonensis (IFLA/BR/67/PH8) and, starting on day 51, mice were treated subcutaneously with imidocarb (IMD, 34 mg/kg), imidocarb plus levamisole (IMD + LVS, 34 and 12 mg/kg, respectively), only levamisole (LVS, 12 mg/kg) or without treatment (control). Lesion size and swelling were weekly monitored for 10 weeks after the beginning of the treatment. On day 121 post-infection, serum levels of specific IgG from infected mice were evaluated, as well as histopathological and morphometric alterations in the footpad, lymph nodes and spleen of these animals. The data obtained in this study demonstrated that, when compared to controls, mice treated with IMD had lower levels of IgG anti-L. (L.) amazonensis (34.45%), smaller vacuolar area in macrophages (3.75%), lower number of megakaryocytes in spleen (63.19%) and lower parasite burden in the footpad (30.2%). Thus, the evaluated parameters suggest the use of imidocarb as a potential drug in the treatment of tegumentary leishmaniasis.