Evaluation of broad-spectrum anthelmintic activity in a novel assay against Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis and T. sigmodontis in the gerbil Meriones unguiculatus

The gerbil Meriones unguiculatus, infected with three species of nematodes, each located in a separate part of the gastrointestinal tract, provided a reliable laboratory assay for the evaluation of broad-spectrum anthelmintic activity. Gerbils harbouring 6-day-old infections of Haemonchus contortus, Trichostrongylus colubriformis and T. sigmodontis were given selected broad-spectrum anthelmintics by gavage. Three benzimidazoles, thiabendazole, oxfendazole and albendazole, a tetrahydropyrimidine, morantel, an imidazothiazole, levamisole hydrochloride, a macrocyclic lactone, ivermectin and an experimental natural product, paraherquamide, were active against all three nematodes at various dosages. Trichostrongylus colubriformis was most sensitive to levamisole hydrochloride, morantel, thiabendazole and paraherquamide whereas ivermectin, oxfendazole and albendazole were more effective against H. contortus. All compounds were active against the caecal nematode T. sigmodontis although it was less sensitive than T. colubriformis. Haemonchus contortus was more sensitive than T. sigmodontis to all anthelmintics tested except thiabendazole.

The Hymenolepis diminuta–Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) Model for the Evaluation of Gastrointestinal Anticestode Activity

A novel laboratory anticestode assay was developed using Hymenolepis diminuta in the hamster. The commercial anticestode compounds, praziquantel, bunamidine, and niclosamide were active against patent infections of Hymenolepis diminuta in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) when given orally at 3.125, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively. The gastrointestinal nematode anthelmintics, cambendazole and mebendazole, were active at 50 mg/kg. Rafoxanide (fasciolicide) was active at 25 mg/kg, the lowest level tested. The coccidiostat, nicarbazin, was active at experimental levels (800 mg/kg and up). The anthelmintic-ectoparasiticide (endectocide), ivermectin, was inactive against the tapeworm at 0.5 mg/kg, as expected.

Effects of enalapril maleate on survival of dogs with naturally acquired heart failure. The Long-Term Investigation of Veterinary Enalapril (LIVE) Study Group

OBJECTIVE

To test the long-term effect of enalapril maleate treatment on progression of clinical signs of heart disease in dogs with moderate or severe naturally acquired heart failure associated with chronic degenerative mitral valvular disease (mitral regurgitation [MR]) or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM).

DESIGN

Prospective multicenter study.

ANIMALS

110 dogs enrolled at 15 locations in the United States.

PROCEDURE

All dogs enrolled in this study were maintained on their randomly allocated treatment regimen until death, treatment failure (deterioration of condition requiring additional medication), or termination of the study. All dogs entered in the study received standard heart failure treatment (furosemide with or without digoxin). Statistical analysis (log-rank test) was performed to compare the distribution of number of days in the study between dogs that received placebo tablets and dogs that received enalapril tablets.

RESULTS

When dogs with MR and DCM were grouped together, mean number of days until treatment failure was significantly different between those receiving enalapril and those given placebo tablets (157.5 and 77.0 days, respectively). For dogs with MR, mean number of days until treatment failure was significantly different between those receiving enalapril and placebo tablets (159.5 and 86.6 days, respectively). Mean number of days until treatment failure among dogs with DCM receiving enalapril and placebo tablets was 142.8 and 56.5, respectively.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Use of enalapril in combination with standard treatment (diuretics with or without digoxin) appears to be beneficial over an extended period, compared with standard treatment alone.

Effects of enalapril on exercise tolerance and longevity in dogs with heart failure produced by iatrogenic mitral regurgitation

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of enalapril on exercise capacity and longevity in dogs with left-sided heart failure produced by iatrogenic mitral regurgitation. After surgical creation of mitral regurgitation, 18 dogs were allocated into replicates according to exercise capacities. One dog in each replicate received placebo, and the other received 0.5 mg/kg of enalapril sid for 9 days and bid thereafter. Exercise tolerance was studied after 10, 19, 52 to 53, and 80 to 81 days, respectively. Finally, the percentage of dogs in each group that survived 357 days was compared. The duration of exercise for dogs in the placebo and enalapril groups did not differ at baseline (P > .1) or after 19 days (P > .1). Dogs that received enalapril had significantly reduced (P < .001) exercise tolerance at day 10, and significantly increased (P = .002) exercise tolerance at days 52 to 53 and 80 to 81 when compared with controls. At 357 days, 22% of dogs receiving placebo were alive, compared with 67% of dogs receiving enalapril; however, these differences were not statistically significant (P = .124). This study shows that enalapril increases exercise tolerance in dogs with left-sided heart failure induced by iatrogenic mitral regurgitation.

Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics and efficacy of MK-401 against old, and young-mature infections of Fasciola hepatica in the rat

The dose-dependent pharmacokinetics and the efficacy of MK-401 (4-amino-6-trichloroethenyl-1,3-benzenedisulfonamide) against old and young-mature infections of Fasciola hepatica were studied in experimentally infected rats. Fractionation of the host's blood after administration of 14C-MK-401 (0.77-15.8 mg/kg) showed that MK-401 was bound predominately to erythrocytes at doses below 4 mg/kg and at higher doses was distributed equally between the red cells and the plasma. Maximum amounts of MK-401 in the blood occurred 2 to 4 hr postadministration and were a hyperbolic function of dose, increasing almost linearly with dose up to 6 mg/kg and then beginning to saturate. Drug uptake by F. hepatica occurred at all doses and increased in direct proportion to the blood level. A single oral dose of MK-401 at 5 mg/kg was found to be highly effective (89%) against older infections (39-44 wk) but was virtually ineffective (1.5%) against younger flukes (9-16 wk). After administration of 14C-MK-401 at 5 mg/kg, drug concentrations in the blood and flukes of rats harboring older infections were significantly higher than those in the blood and flukes of rats with younger infections. Virtually identical differences in the blood level of MK-401 were observed in young and in old, noninfected rats after administration of 14C-MK-401 at 5 mg/kg. The increased efficacy of MK-401 against older infections of F. hepatica in the rat may be related to the age of the host rather than the parasite.

Avermectin acyl derivatives with anthelmintic activity

Avermectins A2a, B1a, and B2a (1, 2, and 3) were acetylated to give 4"- and 23-acetates 4 and 5 and 4",23-diacetate 6 from 1, the 4"-and 5-acetates 7 and 8 and 4",5-diacetate 9 from 2, and triacetate 10 from 3. Structure proof by 300-MHz 1H NMR and mass spectral fragmentation is discussed for 10. Forcing acetylation conditions generated from both 1 and 3 the identical aromatic diacetate 11. Good anthelmintic activities in gerbils and sheep for 4"-acetylated derivatives 4 and especially 7 prompted the preparation of additional 4"-acylated derivatives of 2 with pivaloyl, n-octanoyl, succinoyl, carbamoyl, dimethylcarbamoyl and N-acetylglycyl substituents, prepared from the 5-O-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-protected intermediate 12. Other key intermediates were the trichloroethyoxysuccinoyl derivative 18 and 4-nitrophenyl carbonate 21. Anthelmintic activities against Trichostrongylus colubriformis in gerbils comparable in potency to the natural product 2 are shown by the more polar substituted derivatives 20, 23, and 27. Substitution of the 5-hydroxy group or its loss due to aromatization results in drastically reduced anthelmintic potency.

Avermectins, new family of potent anthelmintic agents: efficacy of the B1a component

When given to sheep as a single oral dose at 0.1 mg/kg, the B(1a) component of the avermectins caused a reduction of >95% in the numbers of Haemonchus contortus, Ostertagia circumcincta (including inhibited L(4) larvae), Trichostrongylus axei, Trichostrongylus colubriformis, Cooperia oncophora, and Oesophagostomum columbianum. When given to cattle as a single oral dose at 0.1 mg/kg, avermectin B(1a) was >95% effective in reducing the numbers of Haemonchus placei, Ostertagia ostertagi (including inhibited L(4) larvae), T. axei, T. colubriformis, C. oncophora, Cooperia punctata, Oesophagostomum radiatum, and Dictyocaulus viviparus. Avermectin B(1a) was similarly effective, with the exception of a detectable loss in activity against adult C. oncophora, when administered to cattle as a parenteral injection. Some of these ruminant parasites were fully susceptible to dosages of avermectin B(1a) at 0.025 mg/kg, e.g., D. viviparus, O. radiatum, O. ostertagi, and H. contortus. Avermectin B(1a) removed 83 to 100% of Ancylostoma caninum from dogs given a single oral dose of 0.003 to 0.005 mg/kg. The poultry nematodes Capillaria obsignata and immature Ascaridia galli were effectively removed by avermectin B(1a) at 0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg, respectively, but 0.1 mg/kg was not effective for Heterakis gallinarum. Thus, the avermectins would appear to have unprecedented potency and spectrum of biological activity.