Chemotherapeutic Effect of Antischistosomal Drugs in Experimentally Induced Schistosoma mansoni Infections in Swiss Mice and Syrian Hamsters

Abstract

The antischistosomal activity of several thioxanthones, antimonials, dihydroquinolines, thiocarbamylpiperazines and tetra-hydroquinolines against the same Puerto-Rican strain of S. mansoni in Swiss mice and Syrian hamsters was studied. The findings indicate that drugs found active in man are more effective in the hamster than in the mouse. Drugs inactive at tolerated doses in man are often highly active in the mouse but elicit little or no activity in the hamster. It is concluded that antischistosomal activity of drugs in the hamster, rather than in the mouse, generally parallels activity against S. mansoni in man.