Praziquantel, a new board-spectrum antischistosomal agent

Praziquantel, (2-cyclohexylcarbonyl)-1,2,3,6,7,11b-hexa-hydro-2H pyrazino[2,1a]isoquinolin-4-one, belongs to a new series of antischistosomal compounds. The results of a detailed study of the efficacy of praziquantel on Schistosoma mansoni in mice, Mastomys and Syrian hamsters are described. Praziquantel is effective after oral and all parenteral routes of administration tested. The amount of praziquantel required to achieve parasite reductions of at least 95% depends on the host species and on the routes and schedules of administration. Total doses range from 200--1,000 mg/kg in mice and from 100--500 mg/kg for Mastomys and hamsters. In all three species, splitting of the total dose into 3 or more fractional doses given within 1 day approximately doubles the efficacy over that achieved after a single oral administration of the same total dose. A single subcutaneous dose is only slightly more effective, whilst a single intramuscular injection in olive oil is about twice as effective as a single oral administration. Praziquantel is very effective against the invading stages and slightly less against schistosomules up to an age of 7 days. It is less effective against 2- to 4-week-old juveniles, but is effective again against 5-week-old and older schistosomes. Praziquantel is equally effective against both sexes of S. mansoni. It is less effective against unpaired and therefore juvenile female worms, but fully effective against single male worms. The efficacy of praziquantel on S. mansoni in mice is not influenced by the strain or the sex of the host, the worm burden or the age of the infection. Considering all data available, praziquantel promises to be a very potent antischistosomal drug.