Praziquantel did not exhibit hepatotoxicity in a study with isolated hepatocytes

The effect of praziquantel in different concentrations on isolated rat hepatocytes as a cellular target was studied to detect any possible toxicity. Leakage of cytosolic enzymes, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was monitored after one hour of incubation of all the cells with the drug. Levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and cytochrome P450 were also assayed. The drug, in concentrations of 5, 25, 50 and 100 micrograms/ml, had no effect on any of these parameters. In contrast, the hepatotoxic compound trichloroethylene showed dose-dependent toxicity, as measured by trypan blue (TB) exclusion, LDH leakage, and reduction in GSH content in the present cellular model. These results suggest that praziquantel is a relatively safe drug with respect to liver function.