Absence of mutagenicity of praziquantel, a new, effective, anti-schistosomal drug, in bacteria, yeasts, insects and mammalian cells.

Praziquantel (Embay 8440, Droncit) a new, effective anti-schistosomal drug, was tested in various short-term assays that have shown a predictive value for the detection of potential carcinogens. Indicator organisms S. typhimurium strains, S. pombe, S. cerevisiae, cultured V79 Chinese hamster cells or human heteroploid cells and Drosophila melanogaster were treated with Praziquantel. The induction of reverse and forward mutations, mitotic gene conversions, X-linked recessive lethals, sister-chromatid exchanges and unscheduled DNA-repair synthesis was scored; rodent-liver microsome-, cell- and host-mediated assays were also performed. Hycanthone, another schistosomicide was included as a positive control. The absence of a genetic activity of Praziquantel uniformly observed in such a battery of tests (i) confirms the assumption that the anti-schistosomal effectiveness of this drug is not related to the mutagenic activity and (ii) should encourage the implementation of extended clinical and field trials.