Comparative study on the localization of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms in albino mice anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, ether or chlorophorm

Abstract

The effect of anesthetic drugs on the localization of adult worms in albino mice was compared. The animals with 56 days of infection were anesthetized with pentobarbital sodium, ether or chlorophorm. Perfusion was carried out immediately after, recovering the worms and classifying them in relation to their localization on the liver or portal vein and the mesenteric veins. Our results showed that pentobarbital sodium produced a greater displacement of the worms to the liver (89%) than ether (76%) and chlorophorm (34%) did, when compared to the control group (22%). The difference between pentobarbital sodium and ether was significant (p < 0.05). We suggest that anesthetic drugs may not be used in studies on the distribution of adult worms in several hosts.

Biodistribution Study of the Anaesthetic Sodium Phenobarbital Labelled with Technetium-99m in Swiss Mice Infected with Schistosoma mansoni Sambon, 1907

“…When these drugs are administered to S. mansoni infected mice, a migration of the worms from mesenteric vessels to the liver is observed (Khayyal 1965). Furthermore, this effect is very strong when the anesthaetic is administered by peritoneal route (Machado-Silva et al 1993) and presents vasodilatador action (Machado-Silva et al 1996). However, this action mechanism of the anesthesic is not elucidated: if the effect of the drug is direct (i) in the adult worm and/or (ii) in the host.…”

“…After a variable period of time has elapsed (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 hr) the animals were sacrificed by cervical displacement and perfused (Machado-Silva et al 1993). Adult worms, blood, mesenteric vessels, portal vein, stomach, liver, brain, spleen, muscles, intestines, heart and kidneys were isolated.…”

“…The worm migrates from mesenteric veins to the liver (Woolhouse & Kaye 1977). This same fact can be oberved when these mice are submitted to anesthaestic drugs, as ether and chlorophorm (Khayyal 1965), nembutal (Goldsmith & Kean 1966), fluotane (Motta et al 1968), halotane (Cunha-Melo & Coelho 1986), pentobarbital and sodium phenobarbital (Machado e Silva et al 1993, 1996. However, it is not established if this migration is due to the action of the drug in the host and/or directly in the adult worms.…”