Influence of PF1022A on the motility of Angiostrongylus cantonensis in vitro.

Our previous in vivo studies on angiostrongyliasis showed that PF1022A had stronger killing effects against female adults than against males. No killing effects were observed against young adult worms in the central nervous system. To characterize the former in vivo action of PF1022A, in vitro effects of PF1022A on the motility of Angiostrongylus cantonensis were studied directly. Few differences in the efficacy were observed between male and female worms, but dose- and time-dependent inhibition was observed in adults treated with PF1022A at 10(-7)-10(-11) g/ml. PF1022A was slightly less effect we against young-adult worms than against adult worms. Minor effects of PF1022A were observed on the third-stage larvae. These results suggest that selectivity against adult females in vivo could be attributable to non-neuropharmacological mechanisms and that PF1022A does not pass through the blood-brain barrier in host animals.