Effects of mebendazole and levamisole on tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti in the mouse

Abstract

Bennet E.-M., Behm C.A. and Bryant C. 1978. Effects of mebendazole and levamisole on tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti in the mouse. International Journal for Parasitology 8: 463–466. Mebendazole, but not levamisole, administered to mice carrying artificial infections of 50 tetrathyridia of Mesocestoides corti, was effective in killing the parasites. However, simultaneous administration of mebendazole and levamisole was still more effective. Treatment with levamisole before infection had no additional effect. Injection of mice with dead larvae offered some protection against a subsequent challenge with 50 live larvae; however, levamisole did not then improve the anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole. In mice rendered immunoincompetent by radiation mebendazole was less effective than in non-irradiated controls and levamisole again did not enhance the effect of mebendazole. It is concluded that anthelmintic efficacy of mebendazole depends on its anthelmintic activity supplemented by the host's immune response; and that levamisole stimulates the latter.