Abstract:
When
3H praziquantel was given orally to mice infected with
Schistosoma japonicum at different developmental stages, less radioactivity was detected in the tissues of d
o (3 h) schistosomula by autoradiography. Thereafter, the radioactivity in the tissues of schistosomules increased gradually and reached a higher level in d
21 schistosomula which was similar to that of adult worms (d
28 and d
35).In d
0 and d
3 schistosomula the radioactivity distributed primarily in parenchyma. Up to d
11 schistosomula,some radioactivity appeared in tegument and increased gradually thereafter. In d
21 schistosomula more radioactivity was observed in tegument. Since only d
0, d
28, d
35 and d
42 worms can be killed by praziquantel, the susceptibility of schistosomes of different developmental stages to praziquantel may not depend on the amount of the drug entered into the worm body.