Abstract
The prophylactic and curative effects of praziquantel and oxamniquine on a Saudi Arabian strain of Schistosoma mansoni in MF-1 mice were assessed. The drugs were administered orally. At 240 mg/kg praziquantel, there was a reduction of 89·1% in adult worm recovery and a marked reduction in tissue deposited eggs. The reduction in adult worm recovery after dosing with 50 mg/kg oxamniquine was 89·2%. At low doses (40 mg/kg praziquantel and 30 mg/kg oxamniquine) administered at 11 days, 5 days and 3 h before and 5, 21 and 49 days after infection, the reduction in adult worm recovery was 0·0%, 65·1%, 58·8%, 33·6%, 0·0% and 76·0% for praziquantel and 0·0%, 66·0%, 60·0%, 41·3%, 10·8% and 79·0% for oxamniquine. Numbers of lung schistosomula and the size of hepatic granulomata were also reduced.