Comparative studies on histological and histochemical alterations of Schistosoma japonicum induced by arteether and artemether

Mice infected with 100 and 50 Schistosoma japonicum cercariae for 7 and 35 d respectively were treated with im artemether 100 mg.kg-1.d-1 or arteether 100 and 300 mg.kg-1.d-1 for 2 d. The mice were killed at different intervals within 28 d after medication and the livers were sectioned for histological and histochemical observations. The results showed that both artemether and arteether caused degeneration in the tegument, intestine and genital gland of the hepatic-shifted worms. The glycogen content and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity of schistosomula and adult worms decreased 7 d after treatment, especially remarkable in arteether 300 mg.kg-1.d-1 group.