Oltipraz treatment in experimental schistosomiasis mansoni. II. Effect of high dose oral therapy on worm load and process of copulation in infected mice.

A single oral dose of 500 mg/kg body weight of Oltipraz was given to mice experimentally infected with the Egyptian strain of S. mansoni. The drug caused significant reduction in the number of worms and marked reduction in the percentage of paired worms in comparison to the infected untreated controls. This reduction in number was apparent after 5 days, 7 days and 2 days from Oltipraz administration, then the number gradually increased with elapsed time till the 60th day after therapy (the end of the work). The previous findings might indicate development of resistance to Oltipraz among the Egyptian strain of S. mansoni worms with prolongation the period of worms exposure to the drug.