IN VITRO EFFECT OF METRONIDAZOLE ON THE ULTRASTRUCTURE OF TRICHOMONAS VAGINALIS DONNÉ

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Abstract
The effect of metronidazole on the growth and fine structure of exponentially growing cells of T. vaginalis was examined. Cell division stopped about 1 h after the addition of 1-4 .mu.g/ml of metronidazole and the cells were apparently arrested in the interphase. One to 2 h after the addition of metronidazole, the movement of flagella and of the undulating membrane decreased, but cell death did not occur until 7-8 h later. The fine structure of the cytoplasm was changed 30-60 min after addition of metronidazole. Proportionally, the number of polyribosomes decreased and the number of single ribosomes in the cytoplasm increased. The electron-density of the cytoplasmic matrix was higher in cells which were treated with metronidazole than in cells from control cultures. The initial effect of metronidazole on T. vaginalis in vitro is apparently an inhibition of cell multiplication and an impairment of protein synthesis.