In vitro effects of milbemycin oxime: mechanism of action against Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Dirofilaria immitis.

The neuropharmacological mechanisms underlying the action of milbemycin oxime on the motility of Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Dirofilaria immitis were examined in vitro. In A. cantonensis, milbemycin oxime caused inhibitory effects at low concentrations of > or = 10(-9) g/ml, and paralysis was elicited at 10(-8) - 10(-6) g/ml. The paralysis was antagonized by picrotoxin and bicuculline but not by dibenamine. In addition, stimulatory effects were observed when the antibiotic was used at higher concentrations of 3-5 x 10(-6) g/ml, and the action was antagonized by strychnine. Both effects were also observed in the preparation contracted by eserine or pyrantel. When D. immitis was treated with milbemycin oxime at concentrations of 10(-7) and 3-5 x 10(-6) g/ml, only slight inhibitory and stimulatory effects, respectively, were observed. These effects were partially antagonized by picrotoxin and strychnine, respectively. These results suggest that the inhibitory and stimulatory actions of milbemycin oxime are caused through gabergic and cholinergic mechanisms in A. cantonensis and D. immitis.