USE OF PENICILLAMINE AS AN ADJUVANT TO TARTAR EMETIC IN TREATMENT OF EXPERIMENTAL SCHISTOSOMIASIS

  • 1 January 1967
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 37  (3) , 387-+
Abstract
One of the principal drawbacks of antimonial therapy in schistosomiasis was the prevalence of annoying, and sometimes dangerous, side-effects. The adjuvant administration of chelating agents offers a possible solution to this problem, providing this can be achieved without appreciably decreasing the therapeutic effect of the drug. The chelating agent penicillamine lowered the toxicity of tartar emetic for mice and hamsters without affecting the tissue uptake of antimony. When administered in a similar manner to hamsters infected with Schistosoma mansoni there was no effect on the uptake of antimony by the parasites, or on the cure rate. This suggests a potential usefulness of penicillamine in antimony therapy.