Routine screening for potential babesicides using cultures of Babesia bovis

Abstract

Routine screening for potential babesicides using cultures of Babesia bovis. International Journal for Parasitology 20: 797–802. A procedure for screening of potential anti-malarial agents, based on the incorporation of [ 3H]hypoxanthine by the parasite, was adapted for the testing of anti-rnetabolites against Babesia bovis (Lismore and Samford isolates) cultured in vitro. A close correlation was found between [ 3H]hypoxanthine incorporation in a standard assay and percentage of parasitized cells as determined by microscopic examination. The concentrations of compounds causing 50% inhibition of [ 3H]hypoxanthine incorporation (ID 50 values) for the established babesicides, Imidocarb and Amicarbalide, were determined to be 3 ng ml −1 (8.6 n m) and 5–10 ng ml −1 (17–34 n m), respectively. A variety of other anti-metabolites were tested in the system. ID 50values for some of the more effective compounds were tubercidin (75 n m), tetracycline (25 μm), menoctone (100 n m) and TN 108, a di-Mannich base derived from 4-(7'-trifluoromethyl-quinolin-4'-ylamino)phenol (0.13 μ m). No significant differences between results with the two isolates of B. bovis were observed.