nifurtimox and Onchocerciasis

Nifurtimox tablets were given at a dose of 15-20 mg per kg bodyweight daily for 5 days to 14 patients with onchocerciasis in the savanna of Cameroon. In general the therapy was well tolerated. During the course there were no clinical signs of microfilaricidal effects. 6 patients were re-examined after an interval of 8 months. The microfilarial load had decreased in 3 patients, while it was unchanged in 2, and increased in the last. There was no improvement in ocular lesions. These preliminary results suggest a possible effect on the adult parasite, and further trials are justified.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adolescent; Adult; Anterior Chamber; Cameroon; Child; Cornea; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Male; Nifurtimox; Nitrofurans; Onchocerca; Onchocerciasis; Skin; Tablets

Several drugs were investigated for action against Onchocerca volvulus in chimpanzees. Pentamidine at 4 mg/kg daily for 16 days had no filaricidal action; nor did stibocaptate at 10 mg/kg monthly for 8 months. Hoechst 33258, a substituted bis-benzamidazole, showed micro- and macrofilaricidal activity; F151 (an arsenical compound) showed a purely macrofilaricidal action; and Compound E (a reaction product of Hoechst 33258 and F151) was micro- and macrofilaricidal. The toxicity of the three last-mentioned compounds was high, and further trials were not made. Nifurtimox, at doses of up to 40 mg/kg for 10 days, was shown not be microfilaricidal, but there was a suggestion that this drug may have some macrofilaricidal action.

Topics: Animals; Anthelmintics; Antimony; Arsenicals; Bisbenzimidazole; Female; Male; Nifurtimox; Onchocerca; Onchocerciasis; Organometallic Compounds; Pan troglodytes; Pentamidine; Succimer; Succinates