In-vitro evaluation of filaricidal activity of GABA and 1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-(4-aminobutyryl)glycerol HCl: a diglyceride prodrug

Abstract
A diglyceride ester of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been synthesized and its filaricidal activity compared with GABA, and progabide in-vitro, on infective larvae and microfilariae of Molinema dessetae, a rodent filaria. GABA induced paralysis in infective larvae but was inactive on microfilariae. There were interactions between the culture medium and GABA. The ester drug at 0·1 mmol L−1 (1,3-dipalmitoyl-2-(4-aminobutyryl)glycerol HCl) was as active as progabide on infective larvae and hundredfold more potent than GABA. Its microfilaricidal activity at 1 mmol L−1 was lower than that progabide at 0·1 mmol L−1 but a delayed effect was observed. The data confirm filariae sensitivity to GABA derivatives.