An <i>In vitro</i> comparative effectiveness of two formulations of praziquantel on <I>Mesocestoides corti</I> and <I>Taenia crassiceps</I> larvae

Abstract

This work describes the effectiveness of two formulations of praziquantel namely praziquantel-polyvenylpirrolidone solution and praziquantel-dimethylsulphoxide suspension against cystic larvae of Taenia crassiceps (ORF strain) and Mesocestoides corti (syn. Mesocestoides vogae) at concentrations of 5, 25, 50 and 100 µg/ml. About 15-20 larvae of M. corti and T. crassiceps were separately inoculated in duplicate into 50 ml Cannaught Medical Research Laboratories (CMRL 1066) flask-containing medium adjusted to pH 7.4 ± 0.1 and incubated at 37°C, exchanging the media whenever was necessary. Evaluation of the drugs effects were conducted on day 2-15 post inoculation by observation of the cysts viability under the light microscope. Praziquantel-polyvenylpirrolidone PZQ-PVP solution was observed to be slightly more efficacious than the praziquantel-dimethylsulphoxide suspension. The findings showed that the effect of the two formulations on the cystic larvae was both time and concentration dependent.

Keywords: Taenia crassiceps, Mesocestoides corti, praziquantel

East and Central African Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Vol. 7 2004: 34-39