Are COVID-19’s medications ecotoxic for free-living marine nematodes? Experimental assessment through separate and combined treatments with miglustat and migalastat

Abstract

Miglustat (MGU) and migalastat (MLA) are commonly used to treat two rare lysosomal disorders, namely Gaucher's and Fabry's diseases, but lately suggested as cures for the COVID-19 disease. The impact of both drugs on meiobenthic nematodes was tested in laboratory conditions for 15 and 30 days. As such, nine treatments were used, targeting nematodes collected from Jeddah coasts (Saudi Arabia), and based on a control treatment and two concentrations (1.45 and 2.9 mg.l⁻¹) of MGU and MLA, applied separately or combined. The findings showed a decline in nematode abundance in all treatments, particularly within the MGU2/MLA2 community. Moreover, the results obtained showed that Daptonema aegypticum was a positive bioindicative species for MGU, and D. oxycerca and Longicyatholaimus longicaudatus were positive bioindicative taxa for MLA. Moreover, when combined, the mixtures induced multifaceted effects in the functional traits composition, revealing complex synergic interactions at the community level.