Jornal de doenças infecciosas e terapia

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Antimalarial Activity of Amodiaquine-Moxifloxacin: A Study in Mice

Elias Adikwu*, Igono Simeon Ajeka and Confidence Ogechi Nworgu

The search for new partner drugs to increase the therapeutic activity of existing antimalarial drugs is important because of decreased Plasmodium susceptibility. Amodiaquine (AQ) is an antimalarial drug. Moxifloxacin (MX) is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic with promising antiplasmodial activity. This study evaluated the benefit of MX as a partner drug with AQ for malaria treatment in Plasmodium berghei infected mice. Adult Swiss albino mice (28 g to 35 g) of both genders, randomly grouped and inoculated with Plasmodium berghei were used. The mice were treated orally with AQ (10 mg/kg), MX (6 mg/kg) and AQ-MX, respectively using the curative, prophylactic and suppressive protocols. Blood samples were collected and assessed for percentage parasitemia and hematological indices. Liver samples were assessed for histological changes. Mean Survival Time (MST) was observed in treated mice. The curative, prophylactic and suppressive tests showed that AQ-MX decreased percentage parasitemia with difference observed at p<0.05 when compared to AQ or MX. In the curative test, AQ, MX and AQ-MX produced 70.9%, 65.0% and 90.6% parasitemia inhibitions, respectively whereas CQ (Standard) produced 87.9% parasitemia inhibition. AQ-MX prolonged MST with difference observed at p<0.05 in the curative, prophylactic and suppressive tests when compared to AQ or MX. The restored hematological indices caused by AQ-MX were characterized by increased hemoglobin, red blood cells and packed cell volume with decreased white blood cells observed at p<0.05 when compared to AQ or MX. AQ-MX eradicates liver Plasmodium berghei. MX may be an effective partner drug with AQ for malaria treatment.