In vivo treatment with the combination of nitazoxanide and flubendazole induces gluconeogenesis and protein catabolism in taenia crassiceps cysticerci

Abstract

Purpose Cysticercosis is the presence of Taenia solium larvae in humans or swines tissues. It is a public health problem related to bad hygienic habits and consumption of infected pork. T. crassiceps is a widely used cysticercosis experimental model. The combination of two effective drugs such as nitazoxanide (NTZ) and flubendazole (FBZ) may potentialize their effect. The aim of this study was to use biochemical analysis to determine the metabolic impact of the combination of NTZ and FBZ on cysticerci inoculated intraperitoneally in mice. Methods Balb/c mice intraperitoneally infected with T. crassiceps cysticerci received a single oral dose NTZ/FBZ (50 mg/kg). 24 h after the treatment the cysticerci were removed, frozen and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography regarding the detection of the following metabolic pathways: glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, homolactic fermentation, tricarboxylic acid cycle, proteins catabolism and fatty acids oxidation. Results The treatment with the drugs combination induced a statistically significant increase in gluconeogenesis and in protein catabolism when compared to the control groups. Conclusion The drugs combination is potentialized and capable of causing greater metabolic stress than the separate treatment with NTZ or FBZ, showing its potential for an alternative cysticercosis treatment.