Effectiveness of miltefosine-pentoxifylline compared to miltefosine in the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis in C57Bl/6 mice

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Ana Angélica Amorim Santarem, Gabriel Frizon Greggianin, Rafaela Garcia Debastiani, Jefferson Bruno Pereira Ribeiro, Demerson Andre Polli, Raimunda Nonata Ribeiro Sampaio
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2014
• Subjects: Cutaneous leishmaniasis; Pentoxifylline; Miltefosine; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0202-2013; https://doaj.org/article/2ff6c064d19c4743aed2d7f287edf2ec

Introduction The treatment of leishmaniasis ischallenging, given the difficulties in drug administration and resistance. Therefore, we chose to test the efficacy of miltefosine combined with pentoxifylline. Methods Twenty-seven isogenic C57Bl/6 mice were infected with Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis, and equally divided into three groups: miltefosine (200mg/kg/day), miltefosine (200mg/kg/day) with pentoxifylline (8mg/kg/day), and untreated. Response to treatment was evaluated using paw diameter and parasitological criteria. Results The number of viable Leishmania reduced significantly within the miltefosine-pentoxifylline group (p < 0.05). Conclusions There is hope that a viable treatment exists for Leishmania infection.