TY - JOUR

T1 - Effect of artesunate and artemether against Opisthorchis felineus in rodent model

AU - Lvova, Maria

AU - Orlovskaya, Irina

AU - Goiman, Elena

AU - Ponomarev, Denis

AU - Tsyganov, Mikhail

AU - Minkova, Galina

AU - Dushkin, Alexander

AU - Avgustinovich, Damira

N1 - This work was supported by grants from the Russian Science Foundation and Novosibirsk Oblast Government (no. 23-25-10093).

PY - 2026/2

Y1 - 2026/2

N2 - A comparative in vivo assessment of the artemisinin derivatives artesunate and artemether (150 and 300 mg/kg) and praziquantel (400 mg/kg) was conducted in a hamster model of opisthorchiasis caused by Opisthorchis felineus. Physiological, biochemical, and hematological parameters, including complete blood counts and peripheral blood cell composition, were evaluated in all experimental groups. The animals were infected with 100 metacercariae of O. felineus and 1.5 months post-infection received a single oral dose of the tested compounds. Food consumption was monitored before the experiment ended, after which worm burdens were quantified. The mean infestation intensity in hamsters was 41.9 ± 1.75 worms per animal. Artesunate and artemether produced mean worm burden reductions of 60% and 58% at 150 mg/kg and 84.5% and 82% at 300 mg/kg, respectively (p < 0.001). Artesunate showed statistically significant efficacy, and artemether demonstrated a trend-level effect, both exceeding that of praziquantel (65%). Unlike praziquantel, these compounds normalized alanine aminotransferase activity, which may suggest an absence of hepatotoxicity. Administration of artesunate and artemether at both doses normalized platelet, eosinophil, and basophil counts in infected animals. The results indicate that artemisinin derivatives may serve as promising alternatives for the treatment of O. felineus opisthorchiasis and warrant further preclinical and clinical evaluation.

AB - A comparative in vivo assessment of the artemisinin derivatives artesunate and artemether (150 and 300 mg/kg) and praziquantel (400 mg/kg) was conducted in a hamster model of opisthorchiasis caused by Opisthorchis felineus. Physiological, biochemical, and hematological parameters, including complete blood counts and peripheral blood cell composition, were evaluated in all experimental groups. The animals were infected with 100 metacercariae of O. felineus and 1.5 months post-infection received a single oral dose of the tested compounds. Food consumption was monitored before the experiment ended, after which worm burdens were quantified. The mean infestation intensity in hamsters was 41.9 ± 1.75 worms per animal. Artesunate and artemether produced mean worm burden reductions of 60% and 58% at 150 mg/kg and 84.5% and 82% at 300 mg/kg, respectively (p < 0.001). Artesunate showed statistically significant efficacy, and artemether demonstrated a trend-level effect, both exceeding that of praziquantel (65%). Unlike praziquantel, these compounds normalized alanine aminotransferase activity, which may suggest an absence of hepatotoxicity. Administration of artesunate and artemether at both doses normalized platelet, eosinophil, and basophil counts in infected animals. The results indicate that artemisinin derivatives may serve as promising alternatives for the treatment of O. felineus opisthorchiasis and warrant further preclinical and clinical evaluation.

KW - Artemether

KW - Artesunate

KW - Biochemical blood parameters

KW - Complete blood count

KW - Opisthorchis felineus

KW - Peripheral blood cell composition

KW - Syrian hamster

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105027394038

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/a606efa9-32bb-341d-991c-b2c0cde79ce3/

U2 - 10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107966

DO - 10.1016/j.actatropica.2025.107966

M3 - Article

C2 - 41483839

VL - 274

JO - Acta Tropica

JF - Acta Tropica

SN - 0001-706X

M1 - 107966

ER -