Phenotypic screening of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs identified mefenamic acid as a drug for the treatment of schistosomiasis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Treatment and control of schistosomiasis, one of the most insidious and serious parasitic diseases, depend almost entirely on a single drug, praziquantel. Since the funding for drug development for poverty-associated diseases is very limited, drug repurposing is a promising strategy. In this study, 73 nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) commonly used in medical and veterinary fields were evaluated for their anti-schistosomal properties.

Methods

The efficacy of NSAIDs was first tested against adult Schistosoma mansoni ex vivo using phenotypic screening strategy, effective drugs were further tested in a murine model of schistosomiasis. The disease parameters measured were worm and egg burden, hepato- and splenomegaly.

Findings

From 73 NSAIDs, five (

SUBMITTER: Lago EM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6557910 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature