H. V. Bossche, Paul A. J. Janssen
1969
Citations
0
Influential Citations
59
Citations
Quality indicators
Journal
Biochemical pharmacology
Abstract
Abstract The effect of tetramisole was studied on succinate dehydrogenase activity of the nematodes Ascaris suum, Ascaridia galli, Toxocara cati and Dictyocaulus viviparus , the cestodes Taenia taeniaeformis. Taenia pisiformis and Dipylidium caninum, and also on rat liver and pigeon breast muscle. Administered to nematode preparations at low concentrations, it reduced the succinate, NAD and ATP levels and increased the fumarate, NADH 2 and inorganic phosphate levels. In all experiments the laevo-isomer was a more potent inhibitor of the fumarate-succinate system than the dextro-isomer. Although tetramisole inhibited NADH 2 oxidation in coenzyme-free pulps of nematodes, there was no effect upon NADH 2 oxidation in cestodes under the same conditions. Similarly, although tetramisole inhibited succinate oxidation in coenzymefree pulps of nematodes, there was no effect upon suceinate oxidation in pigeon breast muscle at the drug-concentrations tested. Inhibition of succinate oxidation was observed in rat liver, but at drug-concentrations fifty times higher than those necessary to inhibit fumarate reduction to the same extent in the nematodes studied. The experiments suggest that at low concentrations tetramisole inhibited stereospecifically “fumarate reductase” activity in nematodes, although succinate dehydrogenase activity was unaffected in the other organisms tested.