HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Katz, N. Articles by Dias, C. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Katz, N. Articles by Dias, C. B.

Preliminary Clinical Trials with Hycanthone, a new Antischistosomal Agent^*

Naftale Katz, J. Pellegrino, M. T. Ferreira, C. A. Oliveira AND C. B. Dias

Instituto Nacional de Endemias Ruais, Hospital da Poliia Militar and Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicine, Belo Horizonte, Brazil

From Miracil D® (lucanthone), a hydroxymethyl derivative (hycanthone), can be obtained through the biological activity of the microorganism spergillus sclerotiorum. This compound was claimed to be the antischistosomal metabolite of Miracil D and was found very active when administered to mice, hamsters, and Cebus monkeys experimentally infected with Schistosoma mansoni.

Clinical trials with hycanthone were performed on 52 patients with active schistosomiasis mansoni. The drug was administered, per os, at the dosage levels of 2 and 3 mg per kg per day with an antacid preparation, twice a day, for 5 consecutive days. In all but two patients treatment could be completed. Nausea, vomiting, anorexia, vertigo, and headache were the commonest side-effects. Therapeutic activity could be evaluated in 44 cases by repeated stool examination (four to six) or by one rectal biopsy performed at least 4 months after treatment, or by both. The percentages of patients considered as cured were 83.3 and 80.0 for the schedules of 2 and 3 mg per kg, respectively.

Laboratory and clinical data on the antischistosomal activity of hycanthone obtained so far emphasize the need for further clinical trials with this compound.

^* This study has been supported, in part, by a research grant from the U. S. Public Health Service (AI 05917-04 TMP), National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.

Instituto Nacional de Endemias Rurais, C. Postal 1743, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. H. Rogers and E. Bueding Hycanthone Resistance: Development in Schistosoma mansoni Science, June 4, 1971; 172(3987): 1057 - 1058. [Abstract] [PDF]