Association of clomipramine and allopurinol for the treatment of the experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi.

GOBBI PAOLA; LO PRESTI SILVINA; BÁEZ ALEJANDRA; FERNANDEZ ALICIA; ENDERS JULIO; FRETES RICARDO; GEA SUSANA; PAGLINI PATRICIA; RIVAROLA WALTER

PARASITOLOGY RESEARCH

SPRINGER

Año: 2010 vol. 107 p. 1279 - 1283

0932-0113

We have previously shown that clomipramine and allopurinol used separately are effective in preventing chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of the association of clomipramine (Clo--5 mg/kg/day/90 days) and allopurinol (Allo--5, 10, or 15 mg/kg/day/90 days) for the treatment of experimental Chagas disease in the acute stage. Treatment effectiveness was evaluated through parasitemia, survival, electrocardiography, serology, and cardiac histopathology. Groups treated showed no electrocardiographic abnormalities, in contrast to those untreated which presented 25% of mice with conduction alterations. The myocardium of treated mice (Clo, Allo10+Clo, and Allo15+Clo) presented no structural alterations. Cardiac b-receptor affinity was preserved in mice treated with Clo or Clo+Allo at the different doses; receptor density of the Clo and Allo15+Clo groups did not differ from the non-infected group. Anti-cruzipain antibody levels were similar in treated and untreated groups. Survival was significantly increased in the treated groups (p