J. Marr, R. L. Berens
Dec 1, 1977
Citations
1
Influential Citations
53
Citations
Journal
The Journal of infectious diseases
Abstract
Allopurinol was shown to be effective in vitro against Leishmania mexicana and Leishmania donovani as well as against Leishmania braziliensis. The major metabolic derivative of allopurinol in humans, oxipurinol, also is antileishmanial for L. donovani. The antileishmanial effect of allopurinol and oxipurinol can be specifically reversed by adenine, and its metabolic precursors and derivatives, but by no other purines or their derivative. It is proposed that the adenylosuccinate synthetase or the adenine phosphoribosyltransferase may be sites of action for these agents.