Studies on the anthelmintic activity of hexylresorcinol and tetrachlorethylene

Abstract

1. A method for examining conditions governing anthelmintic activity in the small intestine is described.Nippostrongylus murisin the rat was the test organism and hexylresorcinol and C2C14were the drugs examined.2. The efficiency of hexylresorcinol was reduced by 50% in 1% sodium tauroglycocholate which reached a concentration of 1·3% in the rat small intestine. The adsorption of this drug on mucin reduced its concentration in intestinal fluids and prevented penetration to parasites under mucus. These inhibiting factors account for the inactivity of hexylresorcinol in the rat.3. Tetrachlorethylene, which stimulatedN. muristo leave mucus and enter fluids in the intestinal lumen, was not inhibited by bile salt and was found to act rapidly in the rat.4. Sodium laurate activated hexylresorcinol more efficiently than sodium oleate atpH. 6·5. Both soaps showed intrinsic anthelmintic properties.5. The results obtained in examining the rate of movement of fluids down the intestine and the effects of detergents, bile salts, mucin and ascorbic acid on drug activity are discussed.