Oxamniquine (OXA) has been the cornerstone
of Brazilian schistosomiasis control programs during the last 25 years and
still is one of the two commercially available drugs that are effective against
Schistosoma mansoni (Coura & Amaral 2004, WHO 2002). Available information on the mechanism of action
of OXA (and of the related agent hycanthone) suggests that the drug becomes
active only upon transformation to an alkylating agent by an enzyme that is
present in OXA-sensitive schistosomes (reviewed in Cioli et al. 1995). The
evidence originates from genetic crosses between OXA-sensitive and OXAresistant
S. mansoni showing that resistance is a recessive trait, thus implying the
existence of a parasite factor that is required for drug activity (Cioli et al.
1992).
In addition, a soluble extract from
sensitive worms (but not from resistant worms) was capable of converting OXA
into an alkylating agent that could bind covalently to the DNA and other
macromolecules of the parasite (Pica-Mattoccia et al. 1989, 1992). Extracts
from S. japonicum or S. haematobium (which are not sensitive to OXA), as well as extracts from
mammalian tissues, failed to activate OXA. The OXA activating factor was
clearly an enzyme, since it was thermolabile, protease sensitive, inactive at
0°C and required ATP + Mg2+ in a cell-free assay (Pica-Mattoccia et al. 1992).
The precise nature of the enzyme, however, was not determined, except for the
broad assumption that it might be an esterifying enzyme targeting the hydroxymethyl
group that is present in the drug and essential
for its activity (Cioli et al. 1985).
Gambar 1. Struktur
Oxamniquine
DAFTAR PUSTAKA
Cioli
D, Pica-Mattoccia L, Moroni R 1992. Schistosoma mansoni: hycanthone / oxamniquine resistance is controlled by a single autosomal recessive gene. Exp Parasitol 75: 425-432.
Cioli D, Pica-Mattoccia L, Archer S 1995. Antischistosomal drugs:
past, present ... and future? Pharmacol Ther 68: 35- 85.
Coura JR, Amaral RS 2004. Epidemiological and control aspects of
schistosomiasis in Brazilian endemic areas. Mem Inst
Oswaldo Cruz 99 (Suppl.
1): 13-19.
DAFTAR
PERTANYAAN :
1. Apakah efek samping dari oxamniquine?
2.
Apakah obat ini masih dapat digunakan sebagai lini pertama dari
penyakit skistosomiasis?
3.
Apakah efek fatal dari penyakit skistosomiasis jika tidak
diketahui dan tidak berikan pengobatan?