Chemistry of Schistosomicides

Abstract

All of the drugs presently known to be of value in the treatment of human schistosomiasis belong t o one of the following three chemical types: ( I ) organic compounds of antimony, particularly those of trivalent antimony (for an excellent review of the history of antimonials as medicinals, see Reference I); (2) compounds bearing a methyl or hydroxymethyl group para to a dialkylaminoalkylamino group on an aromatic ring; and (3) nitroheterocycles. In this paper, examples of the more prominent compounds from each of these three groups are presented, with some comments about the chemistry of these compounds as it relates to drug activity.

Considerations of Schistosome Physiology in the Search for Antibilharziasis Drugs*

“…The point of mentioning anticoagulants is to ask whether dead or dying schistosomes, treated with niridazole, are found trapped in thrombi or otherwise give evidence that the thrombus-prevention system has broken down. Also, Dr. Bond's (1969) mention of toluidines as antischistosomal agents called to mind the wellknown propensity of toluidine to neutralize heparin compounds.…”

Comparative in vitro activities of niridazole and metronidazole against anaerobic and microaerophilic bacteria

“…The chemical structure of niridazole is similar to that of metronidazole (2). Since the latter compound is especially active against anaerobic bacteria (4,7,12) and against certain strains of microaerophilic Campylobacter spp.…”