Egypt. J. Int. Med. 3(3):299-303 July (1994).
Effect of colchicines on hepatic fibrosis in experimental schistosomiasis.
Adel M. Fargaly, Raafat F. Makary, Mohamed Ab. Gumie, M. I. El-Kateb, Magda M. Sanad and Mona E. Nasr
Swiss albino mice infected with schistosoma mansoni were treated with praziquantel and colchicine either separately or combined. Live specimens were examined for granuloma number, size and degree of fibrosis in treated and un-treated mice. Colchicines therapy alone or combined with praziquantel was associated with a reduction in the degree of hepatic fibrosis. The maximum antifibrogenic effect in all group was achieved by combined therapy of praziquental and colchicines when given early (8 weeks) during infection. However, the antifibrogentic effect was still noticed with therapy given relatively later (i.e12weeks) after infection. It was concluded that colchicines reduces hepatic fibrosis induced by schistosoma mansoni infection especially when given early with the anti- schistosomal therapy, praziquantel.