Influence of long-term treatment with pravastatin on the survival, evolution of cutaneous lesion and weight of animals infected by Leishmania amazonensis |
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Authors: | Kückelhaus Carlos S Kückelhaus Selma A S Muniz-Junqueira Maria Imaculada |
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Affiliation: | aLaboratory of Cellular Immunology, Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 70.910-900, Brazil;bNucleus of Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 70.910-900, Brazil;cLaboratory of Morphology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, DF 70.910-900, Brazil |
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Abstract: | The high toxicity of current drugs for treatment of leishmaniasis is a major hindrance for controlling the disease. Pravastatin is a well-known drug with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties that may modulate host defense mechanisms against Leishmania. We evaluated the influence of prolonged pravastatin treatment on the survival of Leishmania amazonensis-infected animals (BALB/c, C57BL6 mice and Syrian hamsters), including weekly measurement of cutaneous lesions (footpad thickness) and weight. Pravastatin improved survival of Leishmania-infected BALB/c mice but not of infected C57BL6 mice or hamsters. On the 50th week of follow-up, 71% of pravastatin-treated Leishmania-infected BALB/c mice were alive against 29% of control group (p < 0.01). Low footpad thickness was found on BALB/c pravastatin treated mice from the 14th week (p < 0.05), and 20th week onward for C57BL6 treated mice. Pravastatin treatment decreased weight loss in Leishmania-infected C57BL6 mice and Syrian hamsters, but not infected BALB/c mice. Our results points to beneficial effects of pravastatin on the evolution of the disease in the murine leishmaniasis model. |
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Keywords: | Pravastatin Leishmania (L.) amazonensis Leishmaniasis |
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