Albendazole Chitosan Microspheres For Treatment Of Cystic Echinococcosis In Mice

Objective Compared with L-ABZ and Albendazole tablets, the purpose to the study was toevaluate the therapeutic effect of treating cystic echinococcosis with Albendazole chitosanmicrospheres (ABZ-CS-MPs).Methods Male Kunming mice which been injected with protoscolices of echinococcusgranulosus were randomly divided into blank control group, model group, ABZ-CS-MPstreated groups; L-ABZ treated groups and albendazole tablets treated groups. The eachformulation had three doses:37.5mg/kg (three times weekly),75mg/kg (three times perweek),150mg/kg (three times a week), respectively. All experimental groups were treated12weeks sequentially.Efficacy evaluation included: morphology, wet weight, inhibition ratio and pathologicalchanges of E. granulosus; albendazole sulfoxide (ABZSX) concentration in plasma, liver ofmice at10h after the last treatment.Results Compared with other treated groups, the morphology, germinal layer cell andstructure of the laminated layer of E. granulosus were seriously changed and damaged inABZ-CS-MPs groups. Compared to the model group, the wet weigh of hydatid cysts in eachtreated group had obviously reduced (p<0.01). The inhibition ratio was also high than othergroups. The germinal layer cells and structure of the laminated layer of E. granulosus wereseriously damaged in keeping with the concentration of ABZSX in plasma and liver. TheABZSX concentration in plasma treated with37.5mg/kg,75mg/kg,150mg/kg ofABZ-CS-MPs were (0.2857±0.0132) μg/mL,(0.8276±0.3914) μg/mL and (0.8012±0.5021)μg/ml. Those in liver were (0.3296±0.0571) μg/g,(0.4485±0.3088) μg/g,(0.4959±0.3013)μg/g. The ABZSX concentration in37.5mg/kg,75mg/kg,150mg/kg doses of albendazoletablets in plasma were (0.2768±0.0164) μg/mL,(0.3056±0.0172) μg/mL,(0.4000±0.0963)μg/mL. These in liver were (0.0416±0.0188) μg/g,(0.0713±0.0442) μg/g,(0.0444±0.0326)μg/g. The concentrations in plasma and liver were much higher than albendazole tablets(p<0.05). The ABZSX concentration in37.5mg/kg,75mg/kg,150mg/kg doses of L-ABZ inplasma were (0.3089±0.0289) μg/mL,(0.3395±0.0315) μg/mL,(0.4274±0.1489) μg/mL. Compared with L-ABZ, The ABZSX concentrations in plasma were obviously increased.Those in liver were (0.1370±0.1940) μg/g,(0.7815±0.4327) μg/g,(0.6298±0.3409) μg/g.Compared with L-ABZ, there was no statisticalsignificance (p>0.05).Conclusion Albendazole chitosan microspheres could obviously increase the concentrationof ABZSX in plasma and liver. It has a great potential to be an new dose form for treatment ofCystic echinococcosis.