The potential role of mefloquine against Schistosoma mansoni infection by prohibition of hepatic oxidative stress in mice

The present study was designed to assess the relationship between anti-schistosomal effect of the antimalarial drug mefloquine (Mef) and the oxidative stress status of Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. Forty mice were divided into eight groups (5 mice/group); control (I, II), infected (III, IV), Mef low dosage (200 mg/kg) (V, VI), and Mef high dosage (400 mg/kg) (VII, VIII). Mef (200 and 400 mg/kg) was administered orally as a single dose at days 14 and 35 post infection (PI). All mice were sacrificed after 8 weeks PI. Oral administration of Mef (200 or 400 mg/kg) at day 14 or 35 PI reduced the total worm burden by 84%, 78% and 94%, 85.7% respectively. Meanwhile, Mef treatment reduced egg load in the intestine and the liver. Following Mef (200 and 400 mg/kg) treatment to mice at day 14 or 35 PI, the oogram pattern showed complete disappearance of all immature and mature ova. Treatment of mice with Mef at the two tested doses significantly decreased the activities of ALT, AST, ALP and GGT enzymes as compared to infected untreated group. However, administration of Mef (200 and 400 mg/kg) at day 14 or 35 PI significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the MDA level and increased the levels of GSH and CAT as compared to infected untreated group. In conclusion, Mef is an effective curative anti-schistosomal and anti-oxidative drug as it alleviates the biochemical and the oxidative stress alterations. Also, Mef has schistosomicidal and ovicidal effects.