Action of colchicine on hepatic schistosomal granuloma

Abstract

Amorphous material and altered collagen fragments within dilated secretory vesicles and cisternae of fibroblast cytoplasm were the main ultrastructural changes seen in hepatic periovular granulomas formed in mice infected with Schistosoma mansoni and treated with colchicine. Despite promoting ultrastructural changes in the fibroblasts found in hepatic periovular granulomas, colchicine administration to infected mice did not significantly change the light microscopic appearance of the hepatic schistosomal lesions, did not diminish the amount of total hepatic collagen, and did not change the collagen isotypes in the granulomas, as observed after a comparative study with non-colchicine treated infected control mice. When administered to mice two weeks after curative treatment of schistosomiasis with praziquantel, colchicine did not seem to increase extracellular collagen degradation or to induce a more rapid resorption of hepatic periovular granulomas, although still promoting ultrastructural alterations in fibroblasts.

Colchicine therapy for hepatic murine schistosomal fibrosis: image analysis and serological study

“…In murine schistosomiasis, colchicine treated mice showed a significant decrease in prevalence of fibrocellular and fibrous granulomas (Montasser et al 1994 measured in liver of S. japonicum infected rabbits and colchicine treated rabbits accounted for 42.5% and 0.2% respectively suggesting that colchicine has therapeutic effect against schistosomal liver fibrosis (Jiang et al 1990). In contrast, colchicine administration to S. mansoni infected mice did not diminish total hepatic collagen and did not change collagen isotypes in granuloma when administered to mice two weeks after curative treatment of schistosomiasis with praziquantel, colchicine did not seem to increase extracellular collagen degradation or to induce a more rapid resorption of hepatic periovular granuloma (Andrade et al 1990).…”