[Effect of a modifying factor on the sensitivity of Crithidia oncopelti to levorin].

Abstract

The paper deals with possible discovery of ways for increasing sensitivity of trypanosomides to polyenic antibiotics. The following substances were tested: sodium pyruvate and acetate, calcium salts, ascorbic acid and 1-valine. The total number of the cells and the number of the viable cells in the culture and their morphological characteristics were used as the criteria for estimation of the C. oncopelti sensitivity. It was shown that sodium acetate most actively modified the levorin effect on C. oncopelti. Its addition in a concentration of 40 mg/ml to the cultivation medium with levorin in a concentration of 1 microgram/ml induced a trypanocidal effect. With the use of levorin alone such an effect was observed when the antibiotic was used in a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml. The growth rate of the protozoon was decreased by 60-80 per cent as compared to the control. The number of the viable cells was lowered 4 times. The morphology of the culture markedly changed. This indicates that the presence of sodium acetate as a modifier in the culture medium allowed one to decrease 10 times the dose of levorin and to preserve the trypanocidal effect.