Element composition and biochemical components of Dirofilaria immitis

Estimation of Inorganic and Biochemical Constituents ofParascaris equorumfrom Horse in Iran

“…The amino acid analysis revealed the presence of 16 amino acids in variable quantities (Table 3) of which alanine (19.3 pM/g) was maximum and aspartic acid minimum (0.6 pM/g). No definite consistency was earlier observed in amino acid contents of different nematodes a s reported by Sharma et al (1988) and Bowen (2001). However, higher quantity of alanine observed in P. equorum in our study corroborated with the trend observed by Bowen (locxit), who reported alanine in higher concentration in Dirofilaria immitis.…”

“…Most of these elements in P. equorum, observed in our study, might qualitatively be more or less similar to those present in the host tissues and were derived by the worms to meet their nutrient requirements as was also stated by Sharma and Pachauri (1982). Though cobalt, zinc and Chowdhury and Singh (1989;1995) but t h e presence of rare elements such as silver, nickel and lithium in P. equorum in the present study was interesting.…”

“…The information about the chemical and biochemical composition of nematodes is valuable in establishing an artificial medium for their maintenance in uitro, in identifying sites of vulnerability for their control and also in understanding the mode of action of drugs against them (Bowen, 2001). Endoparasites meet their nutrient requirements from host's tissues and body fluids, thereby causing various deficiency symptoms in t h e host (Sharma and Pachauri, 1982).…”