Uptake of [14C]oxamniquine by Schistosoma mansoni

The uptake and retention of drug-related material by Schistosoma mansoni was studied in the mouse host following a single oral or intramuscular dose (50 mg/kg) of [14C]oxamniquine. Male worms took up more labelled material than did female worms but the amount in each particular sex of worm was found to be similar after both routes of administration. Exposure of worms was therefore independent of the route of administration. Six days after drug administration, at the time of an hepatic shift, significantly more drug-related material was present in male worms than in female worms. Examination of worms recovered from mice 4 h after treatment showed that metabolites of oxamniquine constituted 70--90% of the drug-related material present in the worms. Both sexes of worms were able to take up metabolites of oxamniquine in vitro.