Shifting Paradigms: Imidocarb dipropionate as an alternative chemotherapeutic strategy for Trypanosoma evansi infection in animals

Abstract

We report on the in vitro and in vivo success of Imidocarb dipropionate (IDP), an aromatic diamidine compound, as an effective drug against Surra-causing organism, Trypanosoma evansi. IDP is a clinically acclaimed drug for the treatment of babesiosis and anaplasmosis. We have also investigated cytotoxic effect of IDP on equine Peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and Vero cell line. The data generated indicate that the IC₅₀ of IDP (2.73 µM) was significantly lower than its cytotoxic concentration (32.66 and 80.70 µM against PBMCs and Vero cell line, respectively). We have recorded significant downregulation in mRNA expression of genes responsible for cellular regulatory activities such as cell division, glycolysis, nucleic acid synthesis, immune evasion strategy and redox homeostasis. During mice experimentation, dose of 20 mg/kg body weight was found to prolong the survival period of T. evansi infected mice by 20 days following two subsequent intra-peritoneal injections administered 72 h apart. Hematological, biochemical and histopathological investigations showed the effect of IDP on mice kidney and liver at four times multiples of the therapeutic dosage. Further, clinical trials on higher-order organisms are required before recommendation of IDP against T. evansi in the clinical host.