morantel and moxidectin

The milbemycins are the only novel broad spectrum anthelmintic chemicals to reach the market place in the last 10 years. Many new systems for delivery and strategies for rational use have, however, been introduced. Boluses which are retained by virtue of specific gravity and by variable geometry are now available. They contain benzimidazoles, morantel, ivermectin and levamisole. Their release mechanisms involve preferential corrosion of a retaining metal core, constant diffusion from a laminated ethylene acetate sandwich, and a hydrostatic pump driven by osmotic pressure. Some are biodegradable. Experimental delivery systems have been developed incorporating ear implants and liposomes. The anthelmintic efficacy of some drugs has been potentiated by the synergistic action of metabolic inhibitors and these combinations hold promise for the future. Much new information is now available on those factors which affect anthelmintic efficacy such as concurrent administration with food and the presence of the target parasites themselves. This knowledge provides a sound basis for the rational use of anthelmintic drugs.

Topics: Alginates; Animals; Anthelmintics; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Benzimidazoles; Drug Combinations; Drug Delivery Systems; Helminthiasis; Helminthiasis, Animal; Ivermectin; Liposomes; Macrolides; Morantel; Pharmaceutical Vehicles

Cyathostomins are the most important and common parasitic nematodes of horses, with > 50 species known to occur worldwide. The frequent and indiscriminate use of anthelmintics has resulted in the development of anthelmintic resistance (AR) in horse nematodes. In this study we assessed the efficacy of commonly used anthelmintics against cyathostomins in Australian thoroughbred horses.. Two drug efficacy trials per farm were conducted on two thoroughbred horse farms in the state of Victoria, Australia. In the first trial, the horses on Farm A were treated with single and combinations of anthelmintics, including oxfendazole (OFZ), abamectin (ABM), abamectin and morantel (ABM + MOR), moxidectin (MOX) and oxfendazole and pyrantel (OFZ + PYR), at the recommended doses, whereas the horses on Farm B only received MOX, at the recommended dose. The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was used to determine the efficacy and egg reappearance period (ERP) of anthelmintics. Based on the results of the first trial, the efficacies of MOX and a combination of ABM + MOR were reassessed to confirm their activities against cyathostomins.. Of the five anthelmintic products tested on Farm A, resistance against OFZ, ABM and OFZ + PYR was found, with efficacies of - 41% (- 195% lower confidence limit [LCL]), 73% (60% LCL) and 82% (66% LCL) at 2 weeks post-treatment, respectively. The FECRT showed high efficacies of MOX and ABM + MOR (100%) at 2 week post-treatment and shortened ERPs for these anthelmintics (ABM + MOR: 4 weeks; MOX: 5 weeks). Resistance to MOX was found on Farm B, with a reduced efficacy of 90% (70% LCL) and 89% (82% LCL) at 2 weeks post-treatment in trials one and two, respectively.. This study provides the first evidence of MOX- and multidrug-resistant (ABM and combinations of anthelmintics) cyathostomins in Australia and indicates the need for continuous surveillance of the efficacy of currently effective anthelmintics and large-scale investigations to assess the ERP for various anthelmintics.

Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Benzimidazoles; Drug Resistance, Multiple; Epidemiological Monitoring; Face; Farms; Female; Horse Diseases; Horses; Ivermectin; Macrolides; Male; Morantel; Nematoda; Nematode Infections; Parasite Egg Count

To compare the efficacy of moxidectin to ivermectin, oxibendazole and morantel against some gastrointestinal nematodes in horses.. Faecal egg count reduction after treatment.. A farm was selected where the population of small strongyles in horses was known to be resistant to oxibendazole. Horses were allocated to treatment groups based on faecal egg counts. After treatment, faecal samples were taken up to 109 days after treatment and faecal egg counts estimated. Faecal cultures were used to estimate the contribution of small and large strongyles to the faecal egg counts at each sampling.. Moxidectin (0.4 mg/kg) suppressed faecal egg counts for 109 days after treatment in most horses compared to 40 days with ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg), 13 days with morantel (9.4 mg/kg) and less than 13 days with oxibendazole (10 mg/kg). Most of the faecal egg count was attributable to small strongyles based on faecal culture, although Strongylus vulgaris was present in some samples in low numbers. Oxibendazole resistance in small strongyles was confirmed and a less than expected efficacy of morantel was also seen.. Moxidectin was highly effective in reducing faecal egg counts after treatment for at least 12 weeks and up to 16 weeks in most horses. These horses were infected with a population of small strongyles known to be resistant to oxibendazole and possibly morantel. The duration of the reduction in faecal egg counts after treatment with moxidectin (0.4 mg/kg) was at least twice that of ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg) and greater than four times that for morantel and oxibendazole.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antinematodal Agents; Benzimidazoles; Drug Resistance; Feces; Female; Horses; Ivermectin; Macrolides; Male; Morantel; Ointments; Parasite Egg Count; Random Allocation; Strongyle Infections, Equine; Strongylus

A new anthelmintic assay is described which uses immunosuppressed (60 ppm hydrocortisone acetate in diet) rats infected with the nematode Trichostrongylus colubriformis. Immunosuppressed rats were infected with 1500 T. colubriformis larvae, treated either orally or subcutaneously on Day 14 post-infection and necropsied 4 days after treatment. The worm counts in immunosuppressed control animals averaged 775 worms per rat. A range of benzimidazoles, levamisole hydrochloride, morantel tartrate, 22,23-dihydroavermectin B1a and alpha-milbemycin have been evaluated in the assay. The ED95 values obtained indicate that rats infected with T. colubriformis provide a highly predictive model for assaying the activity of experimental drugs in vivo prior to studies in ruminants.

Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Benzimidazoles; Disease Models, Animal; Feces; Immunosuppression Therapy; Ivermectin; Levamisole; Macrolides; Male; Morantel; Parasite Egg Count; Rats; Ruminants; Trichostrongylosis