[Action of drugs tested in an acellular medium and in mice infected with Trypanosoma brucei brucei].

This study reports the action of ten drugs on two strains of Trypanosoma brucei brucei (Antat 1.9 virulent in mice and Antat 1.1E more chronic) in vitro in acellular semi defined medium and in vivo in Swiss mice. Minimum efficient concentration of drugs is evaluated by means of an in vitro assay: melarsoprol (1 microgram/ml); DFMO (cytostatic effect from 50 micrograms/ml); suramin (1 microgram/ml); 2 nitroimidazole derivative Ro 15-0216 (1 microgram/ml); triacetylbenzene trisguanylhydrazone (TBG) (between 1 and 10 mg/ml). Fluconazole is not efficient in vitro on T. b. brucei. In vivo: TBG is efficient at 3 mg/kg, DFMO given orally and intraperitoneally is not efficient at 4 g/kg, but surviving time of mice is increased. Suramin (20 mg/kg/d X 4) alone or associated with ornidazole (50 and 500 mg/kg/d X 4) is efficient on bloodstream trypanosomes but no efficacy is revealed on brain forms. Cyclosporin (30 mg/kg/d X 3) lightly increases surviving time of mice. Fluconazole, pefloxacin and acyclovir are not efficient in vivo.