JAC Advance Access published online on July 23, 2008
Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, doi:10.1093/jac/dkn303
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Original research |
In vitro and in vivo activity of aurintricarboxylic acid preparations against Cryptosporidium parvum
1 Institute of Animal Science, Praha 10, Uhrineves, Czech Republic 2 Institute of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
Received 12 March 2008; returned 26 May 2008; revised 10 June 2008; accepted 2 July 2008
* Corresponding author. Tel: +420-775-224-887; Fax: +420-267-710-779; E-mail: pavel.klein{at}seznam.cz
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of commercial aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA) against Cryptosporidium parvum.
Methods: The anticryptosporidial effect of ATA was evaluated in vitro using cell culture and double fluorogenic staining, and in vivo in experimentally infected neonatal C57BL/6 mice. Mice were orally treated for 9 consecutive days starting on the day of infection with daily ATA doses of 50 and 100 µmol/kg. Paromomycin (100 mg/kg) was used as a positive control.
Results: In both in vitro models, ATA at concentrations of 100 and 10 µmol/L completely inhibited sporozoites within 10 and 60 min, respectively. Viability of oocysts exposed to 100 µmol/L and assessed by flow cytometry and in cell culture was reduced by 65% and 61%, respectively. The treatment of neonatal mice with a daily ATA dose of 100 µmol/kg led to 97–99% inhibition of infection without any observable negative effects on the animals. In comparison, the mean reduction of infection for paromomycin was 79–84%.
Conclusions: ATA exerted high anticryptosporidial activity and should be considered for further study.
Key Words: flow cytometry , cell culture , chemotherapy , experimental infection , neonatal mice