Studies on the treatment of molluscan schistosomiasis mansoni with antibiotics, non-antibiotic metabolic inhibitors, molluscicides and anti-schistosomal agents

Abstract

50% of 16 antibiotics, non-antibiotic metabolic inhibitors, molluscicides and antischistosomal agents suppressed molluscan schistosomiasis mansoni. In addition to chloramphenicol which had previously been shown to do so, 3 other antibiotic inhibitors of protein synthesis also suppressed the disease (puromycin, erythromycin and streptomycin) as did both non-antibiotic metabolic inhibitors (6 mercaptopurine and methotrexate) and all 3 antischistosomal agents (antimony potassium tartrate, stibophen and lucanthone hydrochloride). Methotrexate was the first drug found to eradicate the infection rather than merely suppress it, and lucanthone hydrochloride is the most potent drug thus far discovered. In addition to suppression of the disease at 0·4 ppm, it completely prevents snail growth and egg laying at a concentration of 0·3 ppm.