In vivo evaluation of albendazole microspheres for the treatment of Toxocara canis larva migrans

BARRERA, M.G.; LEONARDI D.; BOLMARO, R.; ECHENIQUE, C.; OLIVIERI, A.C.; SALOMON C.J.; LAMAS M.C.

EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACEUTICS AND BIOPHARMACEUTICS

Elsevier

Lugar: EE.UU.; Año: 2010 vol. 75 p. 451 - 454

0939-6411

Albendazole is a benzimidazole derivative with proven efficacy against many parasites such as intestinal 2626 helminths. Toxocariasis is one of the important parasitic diseases in humans and animals caused by Tox- 27Tox- 27 ocara canis. It is well known that T. canis larvae migrate in paratenic hosts, including humans where it 28. It is well known that T. canis larvae migrate in paratenic hosts, including humans where it 28 may cause visceral larva migrans. Thus, the present research was carried out using in vivo experiments 29in vivo experiments 29 with the aim of finding whether novel albendazole microparticles would be active against migrating lar- 3030 vae of the parasite. Albendazole–chitosan microparticles were prepared by ionotropic gelation with 3131 sodium lauryl sulphate or by a liquid–liquid phase separation with sodium hydroxide. Mice were infected 3232 with T. canis and then treated with both albendazole–chitosan microparticles. After treatment (28 days 33T. canis and then treated with both albendazole–chitosan microparticles. After treatment (28 days 33 post-infection), it was examined the anthelmintic effect in mice after oral administration of micropartic- 3434 ulate preparations. The number of larvae recovered from mice treated with albendazole formulations 3535 were compared with placebo. The results showed that albendazole microparticles were easily prepared 3636 in high yield using both aqueous solutions of sodium lauryl sulphate or sodium hydroxide. In vivo eval- 37In vivo eval- 37 uation of larva migration showed that albendazole microparticles exhibited a greater anthelmintic effect 3838 in the brain (0 larva/mouse). In addition, it was also found that liver and lung showed a significant 3939 decrease in the number of larvae. Therefore, these data suggest that albendazole–chitosan microparticles 4040 are effective formulations for the treatment of toxocariasis infection by reducing the number of larvae in 4141 liver and lung. Particularly, these polymeric preparations were able to totally prevent migration of larvae 4242 to the mice brain.