The individual components of commercial isometamidium do not possess stronger trypanocidal activity than the mixture, nor bypass isometamidium resistance

Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist. 2019 Apr:9:54-58. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.01.003. Epub 2019 Jan 21.

Abstract

The four components present in the trypanocidal treatment Samorin, the commercially available formulation of isometamidium, were separated and purified by column chromatography. These compounds as well as the Samorin mixture and the other phenanthridine trypanocide, homidium, were tested on Trypanosoma congolense and wild type, diamidine- and isometamidium-resistant Trypanosoma brucei brucei strains using an Alamar blue drug sensitivity assay. EC50 values obtained suggest that M&B4180A (2) was the most active of the components, followed by M&B38897 (1) in all the strains tested, whereas M&B4596 (4) was inactive. Samorin was found to be significantly more active than any of the individual components alone, against T. congolense and all three T. b, brucei strains. Samorin and all its active constituents displayed reduced activity against the previously characterised isometamidium-resistant strain ISMR1.

Keywords: Drug resistance; Isometamidium; Samorin; Trypanosoma brucei brucei; Trypanosoma congolense.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Chromatography
  • Drug Resistance*
  • Phenanthridines / analysis*
  • Phenanthridines / pharmacology*
  • Trypanocidal Agents / analysis*
  • Trypanocidal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Trypanosoma brucei brucei / drug effects
  • Trypanosoma congolense / drug effects

Substances

  • Phenanthridines
  • Trypanocidal Agents
  • isometamidium chloride