Document Type: Research article
Authors
1
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
2
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
3
Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4
Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shahid-Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
5
Genetic Research Center, University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
6
Iranian Research Center for HIV/AIDs (IRCHA), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
7
Department of Epidemiology, Pasteur institute of Iran, Tehran, Iran.
8
Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic sciences, University of Gilan, Rasht, Iran.
Abstract
Toxicity and drug resistance against pentavalent antimonials, medications of choice in treatment of leishmaniasis for more than 5 decades, have become important subjects globally.
This study was a randomized, open labeled trial that was designed to determine efficacy and safety of IMOD as a novel herbal immunomodulator drug for treatment of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL).
Twenty healthy mongrel dogs were infected with Iranian strain of L. Infantum amastigotes and randomly divided to 5 groups with four animals for each included on: I: negative control (non-infected) II: Glucantime® III: Glucantime® plus IMOD (immune-chemotherapy) IV: IMOD and V: positive control (non-treated). Physical examination, hematological, biochemical, serological, parasitological, pathological and imaging evaluations were performed pre-/post- interventions every month for 3 months.
Comparing with control groups (I&V), immune-chemotherapy group (Glucantime® plus IMOD) showed significantly higher efficacy in resolving the clinical signs and hematobiochemistry factors. Based on our results, using IMOD in combination with meglumine antimoniate (Glucantime®) has significantly improved CVL than the latter drug alone. So, it seems this new herbal medicine is useful as adjuvant therapy for canine visceral leishmaniasis.
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