Diminazene aceturate experimental repeat treatments in albino rats: efficacy and clinico-pathologic considerations

To determine the clinico-pathologic effects, safety and efficacy of diminazene aceturate repeat treatments , thirty adult albino rats were randomly assigned into six groups (A–F) of five rats each. Groups A–D were infected with 1.0 × 10 6 trypanosomes, while groups E and F served as uninfected controls. Groups A–E were treated once with 7 mg/kg Dinazene® on day 11 post-infection. Treatments were repeated once, twice and thrice in groups B–D respectively at 7 days interval. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine and conjugated bilirubin were assayed bi-weekly. Parasitaemia level was also monitored. An average pre-patent period of 7 days was recorded. Relapse infection was recorded on days 24, 31 and 24 following first, second and third treatments for groups A, B and C respectively. The serum levels of alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, conjugated bilirubin and creatinine of the infected and repeatedly treated groups did not differ significantly from those of the control groups except for the groups in which relapse infection occurred. It was concluded that repeat treatments using 7 mg/kg diminazene aceturate was safe and protected against relapse after the fourth consecutive treatments.