Efficacy of novel benznidazole solutions during the experimental infection with Trypanosoma cruzi

Abstract

Chagas' disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. About 8 million people throughout Latin America are infected causing approximately 10,000 deaths annually. Benznidazole, available as unique 100 mg tablets in many of the endemic countries, is currently the drug of choice for the specific treatment of this condition. Despite of the large number of pediatric patients infected, there are no commercial liquid dosage forms available to treat this trypanosomiasis. This work showed that novel benznidazole-water-polyethylene glycol 400 solutions are active against T. cruzi in a murine model of Chagas' disease. Present results constitute the first demonstration on the usefulness of benznidazole solutions in infected mice.