Effects of trypanocides on Herpetosoma in a mammalian feeder layer cell culture

Limited studies have been undertaken on the treatment of infections with trypanosomes of the subgenus Herpetosoma, either in comparative studies on the effects of trypanocidal drugs or as potential non-pathogenic models for evaluating trypanocidal activities. The development of an in vitro cell culture system is described which enabled testing of trypanocides against 5 different species of Herpetosoma. The trypanocides used were Samorin, Novidium, Trypacide and Berenil. Variations were observed in the trypanocidal activity of the drugs on the different Herpetosoma parasites, e.g. T. lewisi and Samorin and T. microti and Novidium, compared with other parasites. Minimum effective concentration of Trypacide and Berenil against 5 Herpetosoma trypanosomes were of the order 10 mg ml-1. The results indicate that these parasites are much less sensitive to the drugs used than pathogenic, salivarian trypanosomes.