[Antiprotozoal effects of benzodiazepine derivatives]

It is known that some derivatives of the benzodiazepine group act not only as antipsychotic drugs but also have inhibitory effects on the growth of protozoa. The influence of imipramine and its derivatives clomipramine and desipramine on the multiplication of Crithidia luciliae, Leishmania mexicana amazonensis, Trypanosoma cruzi and Trichomonas vaginalis was investigated using in vitro cultivation of the parasites and compared with the effects of chlorpromazine and metronidazole. All trypanosomatides used were inhibited by imipramine and its derivatives with clomipramine having the strongest influence on the growth of parasites (ID50 12.5-35 micrograms/ml). The Trichomonas vaginalis strain used was susceptible to metronidazole but it was nearly resistant to the tricyclic compounds tested (ID50 greater than 100 micrograms/ml).