Dr. Murai Éva szerk.: Parasitologia Hungarica 14. (Budapest, 1982)

RESULTS Based on the positive findings in all of the 210 faecal samples, the whole mouse stock was considered to be infested with Aspiculuris tetraptera. Firstly Mebenvet ^treatment, in adose of 100 mg/kg/day mixed with food and given for 2 days, was used. By day 5, however, no reduction in faecal egg count occurred (Table 1). Treatment was then changed to albendazole. According to previous toxicity studies mice tolerate this drug well. Its LD^q value in oral administration was 10 000 mgAg body-weight both in females and males The dose could not be raised further because higher concentrations of the drug would not be suspended even in Tween-80. Albendazole given in a dose of 1 600 mgAg did not cause any toxic symptoms. Moderate loss in body weight was noted with the dose of 3 200 mgAg and occasionally spontaneous death with the dose of 6 400 mg/kg. Death occured from the 4th day after drug administration (Table 2). Table 2 Acute toxicity data of albendazole given in single doses through gastric intubation in Hriop: Swiss mice and parasitological findings after autopsy Mortality (number of animals) with sample sizes Toxic symptoms Number of Dose mg/kg Sex Mortality (number of animals) with sample sizes decrease in bodyweight °l< diarrhoea worms per animals 100 female 0/5 0 0 0 200 0/5 0 0 0 400 0/5 0 0 0 800 0/5 0 0 0 1 600 0/5 0 0 0 3 200 0/5 8 0 6 400 1/5 15 + 10 000 2/5 20 ++ Control 0/5 0 0 17-268 100 male 0/5 0 0 0 200 0/5 0 0 0 400 0/5 0 0 0 800 0/5 0 0 0 1 600 0/5 0 0 0 3 200 0/5 0 0 6 400 1/5 16 ++ 10 000 2/5 21 +++ Control 0/5 0 0 17-268 According to the coprological control examination during toxicity studies, albendazole was an effective antihelminthic in mice in a dose as low as 1x100 mg/kg body weight (Table 2). Based on the above data the entire mouse stock was planned to be treated with its double, i.e. 200 mg/kg dose, as the drug mixed in the food was supposed to ensure a lower but continuous concentration in the intestine than if given through single gastric intubation. No toxic symptoms were observed in the mice after the two-day treatment with 200 mg/kg albendazole.