Effect of cations and anthelmintics on enzymes of respiratory chains of the cestode Hymenolepis diminuta.

The enzymes involved in the catabolism of malate namely fumarate reductase, NADH oxidase, "malic" enzyme, succinate dehydrogenase and fumarase as well as NADPH:NAD transhydrogenase, which is involved in the electron transport chain, were studied in Hymenolepis diminuta, a rat intestinal tapeworm. Among cations, K+ had no effect on any enzyme whereas Ca2+ and Mg2+ showed an increase or decrease of varying degrees of different enzyme activities. Most of the compounds, which have been synthesized by the Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow (India) and found to possess some anthelmintic properties, strongly inhibited the above enzymes except malic enzyme.