Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Dorsal Skin of Hamsters: a Useful Model for the Screening of Antileishmanial Drugs
11:36

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in the Dorsal Skin of Hamsters: a Useful Model for the Screening of Antileishmanial Drugs

Published on: April 21, 2012

Antimony containing drug and ECG abnormalities in children with visceral leishmaniasis

Lourdes Zélia Zanoni1, Yvone Maia Brustoloni, Petr Melnikov

  • 1Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. lzzanoni@yahoo.com.br

Biological Trace Element Research
|May 9, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Antimony (5+) treatment for visceral leishmaniasis in children showed milder cardiac effects than in adults. Electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring is recommended during antimony therapy to prevent potential complications.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Visceral leishmaniasis is a serious parasitic disease.
  • Antimony compounds are a common treatment for leishmaniasis.
  • Cardiac side effects of antimony therapy are a concern, particularly in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of antimony (5+) on electrocardiographic (ECG) changes in children with visceral leishmaniasis.
  • To compare the cardiac safety profile of antimony in children versus adults.

Main Methods:

  • Weekly ECG analysis of 87 children (6 months to 12 years) treated with N-methyl glucamine antimoniate.
  • Data collected from April 2001 to May 2006.
  • Comparison with known adult population data.

Main Results:

  • Cardiac response to antimony was milder in children compared to adults.
  • Sinus rhythm was maintained; no ectopic beats, P wave, or PR interval changes.
  • QRS complex amplitude increased; Sokolow's indexes exceeded normal in some cases.
  • QTc prolongation occurred in 10 patients; T wave flattening in 7.
  • Overall ECG abnormalities detected in 34.4% of pediatric treatment courses versus 53.8% in adults.

Conclusions:

  • Meglumine antimoniate appears safer for pediatric visceral leishmaniasis treatment than in adults.
  • ECG monitoring during antimony therapy is crucial for early detection and prevention of cardiac complications in children.

More Related Videos

A Parasite Rescue and Transformation Assay for Antileishmanial Screening Against Intracellular Leishmania donovani Amastigotes in THP1 Human Acute Monocytic Leukemia Cell Line12:22

A Parasite Rescue and Transformation Assay for Antileishmanial Screening Against Intracellular Leishmania donovani Amastigotes in THP1 Human Acute Monocytic Leukemia Cell Line

Published on: December 30, 2012

Development of Leishmania Species Strains with Constitutive Expression of eGFP10:03

Development of Leishmania Species Strains with Constitutive Expression of eGFP

Published on: April 21, 2023

Related Concept Videos

Antiprotozoal Agents01:21

Antiprotozoal Agents

Leishmaniasis is a widespread parasitic disease caused by several Leishmania species. It affects millions of people each year and remains a major public health problem in endemic regions. First-line treatment relies on pentavalent antimonials, including meglumine antimoniate and sodium stibogluconate. Even so, how these drugs work has not been fully clear, especially their interaction with parasite-specific biochemical pathways. One key target is trypanothione reductase (TR), an enzyme that...
Leishmaniasis01:30

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis is a protozoal disease caused by species of the genus Leishmania and transmitted through the bite of infected female sandflies. The parasite exists in two principal morphological forms during its life cycle. A sandfly acquires intracellular amastigotes from an infected reservoir host, such as a dog. Within the sandfly, these forms differentiate into motile, flagellated promastigotes. During a subsequent blood meal, promastigotes are injected into the human host, where they...
Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview01:24

Mania and Antimanic Drugs: Overview

Mania, a psychological condition characterized by elevated mood, increased energy, and reduced sleep need, is part of the bipolar disorder cycle. The exact cause of mania isn't entirely known, but it is thought to be a combination of genetic, environmental, and neurological factors. Bipolar disorder involves alternating manic and depressive episodes. Mood stabilizers like lithium, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants help manage these episodes. Lithium carbonate is particularly effective as a...
Anthelminthic Agents01:15

Anthelminthic Agents

Anthelmintic drugs differ significantly from antiparasitic therapies targeting protozoa, primarily due to differences in parasite biology. Whereas most protozoal treatments act on proliferating cells, anthelmintics are typically directed against mature, nonproliferative helminths. The therapeutic approach considers the helminth's reliance on neuromuscular coordination, glucose metabolism, and microtubular integrity for survival, reproduction, and localization within the host. Most anthelmintics...
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers01:12

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers

Class III antiarrhythmic drugs are a group of medications that can prolong action potentials in the heart. They achieve this by blocking potassium channels or enhancing inward currents from sodium channels. However, these drugs have a unique property of "reverse use-dependence," which is most pronounced at slower heart rates and can lead to torsades de pointes—a specific type of arrhythmia. However, it is essential to note that excessive QT interval prolongation—a measure of the heart's...
Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators01:20

Antiepileptic Drugs: Potassium Channel Activators

Ezocgabine or retigabine, an antiepileptic drug of remarkable efficacy, has revolutionized the management of seizures. It is a potassium channel activator, explicitly targeting the family of Q subtype potassium channels. It enhances the transmembrane potassium currents, regulating neuronal excitability. This action stabilizes the resting membrane potential, a pivotal factor in mitigating the hyperexcitability that characterizes epilepsy.
Ezogabine has gained approval as an adjunctive treatment...