Enhancement of antimonial compounds in vitro killing of leishmania donovani by immunomodulators activated macrophages and a new method of kala-azar diagnosis

number: 
168
English
Degree: 
Imprint: 
Medicine
Author: 
Israa Abdul-Jabbar Ibrahim
Supervisor: 
Dr. Tarik I. Al-Jeboori
year: 
1996
Abstract:

Acute visceral leishrnaniasis is associated with an antigen specific immunosuppression of mononuclear cells. Thus we tried to user three different immimostimulators alone or in combination with the antimonial compounds, using the amastigote-macrophage in vitro system . This system proved to be simple and rapid compared with in vivo and is a good indicator of the in vivo system. Using BCG as an activator of macrophages, the percentages of infected cells were significantly reduced as well as the numbers of amastigotes per cells (5.27 fold). S2- Complex proved dose related , and also the percentage of infected macrophages was significantly reduced , but the numbers of amastigotes per cells were reduced only by 2.4-fold which was less than BCG 1(5-27 fold). As for the levaniisole when given I/P .both the percentage of infected cells and the numbers of arnastigotes per cells were reduced though in­significant. However, increased activity was obtained when given orally but still the results were much less man the above two immunostimulaiors.The ombined treatment of irnmunostimuiators and antimonial compounds showed synergistic effects . The BCG was more effective, in the in vitro system against intracellular amastigotes than the other two, and also the parasite survival index percent value (PSI%) of BCG was less than antimoniai compounds which are the drag of choice for visceral leishmaniasis.Thus it seems that immunomodulators possibly facilitates the leishmanicidal activity' of standard antimonial drugs , and allows the use a lower therapeutic doses , thus reducing their toxicity. However, another yet unknown mechanisms may be activated . The dot-blot immunobinding assay or dot-ELISA proved to be better than 1FA and this technique was used for the first time in Iraq for kala-azar diagnosis . It could be used <.s a. in cases of doubtful IFA and I. USA.