Biomaterial Database

Effect of allopurinol on Trypanosoma cruzi: metabolism and biological activity in intracellular and bloodstream forms. 1982

R L Berens, and J J Marr, and F S Steele da Cruz, and D J Nelson

Allopurinol (4-hydroxypyrazolo [3,4-d]pyrimidine) is an effective agent in vitro against Trypanosoma cruzi. The important forms of this parasite, with respect to the pathogenesis of Chagas' disease in man, are the bloodstream (trypomastigote) and the intracellular forms. Experiments with radiolabeled allopurinol and analysis of the metabolic products of this compound by high-performance liquid chromatography showed that both the bloodstream and the intracellular forms of T. cruzi metabolize allopurinol in the same manner as has been shown for the epimastigotes in vitro. The metabolic pathways for pyrazolopyrimidines in the pathogenic forms were demonstrated with organisms isolated from infected animals and a tissue culture system infected with T. cruzi. Treatment of infected tissue culture with allopurinol eradicated the infection. This investigation implies that allopurinol may be useful in chemotherapy of T. cruzi infections, a supposition which has been borne out in one animal study.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D002682	Chinchilla	A genus of the family Chinchillidae which consists of three species: C. brevicaudata, C. lanigera, and C. villidera. They are used extensively in biomedical research.	Chinchillas
D004912	Erythrocytes	Red blood cells. Mature erythrocytes are non-nucleated, biconcave disks containing HEMOGLOBIN whose function is to transport OXYGEN.	Blood Cells, Red,Blood Corpuscles, Red,Red Blood Cells,Red Blood Corpuscles,Blood Cell, Red,Blood Corpuscle, Red,Erythrocyte,Red Blood Cell,Red Blood Corpuscle
D000493	Allopurinol	A XANTHINE OXIDASE inhibitor that decreases URIC ACID production. It also acts as an antimetabolite on some simpler organisms.	Allohexal,Allohexan,Alloprin,Allopurin,Allorin,Allpargin,Allural,Apulonga,Apurin,Atisuril,Bleminol,Caplenal,Capurate,Cellidrin,Embarin,Foligan,Hamarin,Jenapurinol,Lopurin,Lysuron,Milurit,Milurite,Novopurol,Pan Quimica,Progout,Pureduct,Purinol,Remid,Rimapurinol,Roucol,Suspendol,Tipuric,Uribenz,Uridocid,Uripurinol,Urosin,Urtias,Xanthomax,Xanturic,Zygout,Zyloprim,Zyloric
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D013154	Spleen	An encapsulated lymphatic organ through which venous blood filters.
D014349	Trypanosoma cruzi	The agent of South American trypanosomiasis or CHAGAS DISEASE. Its vertebrate hosts are man and various domestic and wild animals. Insects of several species are vectors.	Trypanosoma cruzus,cruzi, Trypanosoma
D014355	Chagas Disease	Infection with the protozoan parasite TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI, a form of TRYPANOSOMIASIS endemic in Central and South America. It is named after the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who discovered the parasite. Infection by the parasite (positive serologic result only) is distinguished from the clinical manifestations that develop years later, such as destruction of PARASYMPATHETIC GANGLIA; CHAGAS CARDIOMYOPATHY; and dysfunction of the ESOPHAGUS or COLON.	Trypanosomiasis, South American,American Trypanosomiasis,Chagas' Disease,Trypanosoma cruzi Infection,Infection, Trypanosoma cruzi,Infections, Trypanosoma cruzi,South American Trypanosomiasis,Trypanosoma cruzi Infections,Trypanosomiasis, American
D046508	Culture Techniques	Methods of maintaining or growing biological materials in controlled laboratory conditions. These include the cultures of CELLS; TISSUES; organs; or embryo in vitro. Both animal and plant tissues may be cultured by a variety of methods. Cultures may derive from normal or abnormal tissues, and consist of a single cell type or mixed cell types.	Culture Technique,Technique, Culture,Techniques, Culture