Use of antibiotics of the streptothricin family as taeniacidal agents
United States Patent Szanto et al.  
 [ Apr. 8, 1975 USE OF ANTIBIOTICS OF THE STREPTOTI-IRICIN FAMILY AS TAENIACIDAL AGENTS Inventors: Joseph Szanto, Flemington; William E. Brown, Princeton; Edward Meyers, East Brunswick, all of NJ.  
 E. R. Squibb &amp; Sons, Inc., Princeton, NJ.  
 Filed: Apr. 22, 1974 Appl. No.: 462,689  
 Assignee:  
 US. Cl. 424/181 Int. Cl A6lk 21/00 Field of Search 424/181 [56] References Cited OTHER PUBLlCATlONS Chemical Abstracts 5th Decennial Index, Vol. 41-50, (l947-l956), page 120225.  
 Primary Examiner-Sam Rosen Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Lawrence S. Levinson; Merle J. Smith; Stephen B. Davis [5 7] ABSTRACT 11 Claims, No Drawings USE OF ANTIBIOTICS OF THE STREPTOTI-IRICIN FAMILY AS TAENIACIDAL AGENTS Summary of the Invention This invention is directed to the use of certain antibiotics of the streptothricin family as taeniacidal agents.  
 Detailed Description of the Invention Tapeworms cause widespread and serious infection in mammals such as dogs, cats, sheep, goats, etc. The infected animals represent both a health hazard as well as serious economic loss. Certain antibiotics of the streptothricin family including streptothricin, S 15-1, and 156 8-1 have been found to be effective taeniacidal agents. The antibiotic 156 8-1 has also been referred to in the literature as 24010 8-1.  
  In treating animals infected with tapeworms, the antibiotics of this invention can be formulated according to conventional pharmaceutical and veterinary practice. Thus, the antibiotic or a mixture of the antibiotics set forth above can be encapsulated with various materials such as gelatine or can be formulated as tablets, suspensions, etc., or can be mixed with a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier to form a feed supplement which can be incorporated in the animal feed in the desired concentration. The taeniacidal agents of the present invention can be combined with other parasiticides such as nematocide agents as for example dichlorvos or thiabendazole.  
  The preferred dosage level for treating a tapeworm infection will depend to a large extent on the particular antibiotic employed, on the severity of the infection and on the particular species of animal to be treated. For example, an acceptable dose level may be higher in ruminants such as sheep than in other animals such as dogs or cats. In general, the antibiotics exhibit taeniacidal activity when administered to animals in a daily dose of about to about 200 mg. per kilogram of body weight. It is preferred to employ in the range of 25 to 100 mg. per kilogram of body weight per day. The antibiotics may be given in a single dose or divided into a series of smaller doses. If desired, the course of treatment may be extended over a period of days in which case the optimum daily dose level may be lowered.  
  The antibiotics of the present invention in the described dosages are intended to be administered orally.  
  Various methods for the production of the antibiotic streptothricin as well as the physico-chemical and biological properties of this antibiotic are known to those skilled in the art.  
  The microorganism useful for the preparation of antibiotic 5 1 classified as a strain of the genus Strept0- myces griseocameus, was isolated from soil collected in the suburbs of Sendai City. Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. A culture of the living organism has been deposited in and is available from the culture collection of the US. Department of Agriculture, Northern Regional Re search Laboratory (Peoria, Illinois), where it has been assigned the number NRRL 5311.  
  The microbial characteristics of the microorganism are as follows:  
 I. Morphological characteristics Growth in media with hyphae, as seen in actinomycetes in general. Aerial mycelium, long and filamentous, or abundantly branched, sometimes slightly hooked; no whorls and no spirals. Ten or more conidia in chains at the tip of aerial mycelium, ellipsoidal or cylindrical, 0.6 to 0.7 by 1.1 to 1.3 microns. Spores, smooth surface.  
 11. Behavior on various culture media:  
 1. Czapeks Dox agar plate (27C):  
  Growth cream-colored; aerial mycelium scant, white; no soluble pigment.  
 2. Glucose-asparagine agar plate (27C Colorless growth; aerial mycelium white, powdery, scant. No soluble pigment.  
 3. Starch synthetic agar plate 27C Colorless growth; white to ash-gray aerial mycelium, well developed. Gray soluble pigment, scant. Starch is actively hydrolyzed.  
 4. Ca-malate agar plate (27C):  
  Colorless growth, aerial mycelium scant, white. No soluble pigment.  
 5. 0.2% Sodium nitrate-incorporated peptone water (30C):  
  Colorless growth in masses at the bottom. No soluble pigment. Nitrites produced from nitrates. 6. Broth agar slant (27C):  
  Growth grayish yellow. wrinkled. no aerial mycelium. Pale brown soluble pigment.  
 7. Sugar-incorporated broth agar slant (27C):  
  Growth grayish yellow, wrinkled; aerial mycelium scant, white. Pale brown soluble pigment.  
 8. Coagulated Loefflers blood serum slant (27C):  
  Growth white to ash-gray; no aerial mycelium. Soluble pigment gray to grayish black. No liquefaction. No growth at 37C.  
 9. Bennetts agar plate (27C):  
  Growth yellow; thick aerial mycelium. pinkish gray. Pale brown soluble pigment. No growth at 37C.  
 10. Gelatin (12C):  
  Growth colorless to pale brown; white, thick aerial mycelium in stab. Slow, liquefaction. Pale brown soluble pigment.  
 11. Milk (30C):  
  Growth cream-colored to brown rings; no aerial mycelium. Pale brown soluble pigment. Becomes transparent from the upper layer portion, and has weak peptonization action.  
 12. Potato (27C):  
  Growth grayish yellow, wrinkled; white powdery mycelium, scant. Soluble pigment grayish brown to grayish black.  
 13. Tyrosine agar slant (27C):  
 Growth cream-colored; black soluble pigment.  
 Ill. Biological properties:  
 IV. Utilizability of carbon sources:  
 Arabinose -l- Dextrin Fructose Glucose Glycerin Maltose Mannose Xylose Sodium acetate Sodium citrate Sodium succinate lnositol lnulin Lactose Mannitol Salicin Rhamnose Saccharose Trehalose Note: Utilized Not utilized Utilizability doubtful As mentioned above, the S 15-1 strain forms an aerial mycelium having no whorls or spirals and produces smooth conidia, and is a strain of the chromogenic type which gives an aerial mycelium of white to pale red color, later becoming ash-gray. It shows a creamcolored growth on Czapeks agar, and a colorless growth on glucose-asparagine agar, starch synthetic medium or Ca-malate agar, and is broad in scope of carbon source utilization spectrum.  
  In view of such characteristics of the S 15 1 strain, there may be shown as homologous strains Streptomyc&#39;es cinmmionensis, Srreptomyc&#39;es bikiniensis, Streptomyces antibiotics and Streptomyces griseocarneus.  
  Among these strains, Streptomyces cinnamonensis is distinguished from the S 15 1 strain in that the former develops a salmon pink-colored aerial mycelium on glucoseasparagine agar, whereas the latter shows a colorless growth. Slreptomyc&#39;es bikiniensis is distinguished from the S 15 1 strain in that it produces an ambercolored pigment on glucose-asparagine agar and a pale brown pigment on a synthetic medium. Streptomyces antibiotic&#39;us is distinguished from the S 15 1 strain in that it shows a white growth on a synthetic medium, develops a greenish gray aerial mycelium on a milk medium, and forms a bluish pigment and shows a brown growth on a potato medium. The known Streptomyces griseocarneus more or less differs from the S 15 1 strain in nitrate reducibility, carbohydrate utilization, etc., but well coincides therewith in other points. From the above results, it has been concluded that the S 15 1 strain belongs to Slreptomyces griseocarneus, and is distinguishable from the known strain, and has been designated as Streptomyces griseocarneus S 15 l.  
  The properties of Streptonrvces griseocarneus S 15 l are as mentioned previously. However, the properties of this strain are liable to be varied as seen in other strains of the genus Streptomyces, and are variable by artificial means using, for example, ultraviolet rays, X- rays, radioactive rays or chemicals. All the thus obtained variants may also be used in the present process so far as they belong to Streptomyces griseocarneus and have ability to produce the antibiotic S l5-1.  
  The antibiotic S -1 is produced from the above described strain according to procedures known in the art. The characteristics of this antibiotic such as physiochemical and biological properties are also known to those skilled in the art, as note, for example, the articles by Arima et al. appearing in The Journal of Antibiotics, Vol. 25, pages 387 392 and 471 472.  
  The microorganism useful for the preparation of antibiotic 156 B-l (24010 B-l classified as a strain of the genus Streptomyces, was isolated from soil collected in lkeda City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. A culture of the living organism has been deposited in and is available from the culture collection of the US. Department of Agriculture, Northern Regional Research Laboratory (Peoria, 111.), where is has been assigned the number NRRL 5319.  
  The microbial characteristics of the microorganism are as follows:  
 I. Morphological characteristics:  
  Starch-inorganic salts medium and the potatoglucose medium. Good growth with branching substrate mycelium. Good aerial mycelium abundant with spiral ends (two or more rotations). Sporophores do not form whorls. Spores oval, 0.8 0.9 by 1.2 1.4 p. in size and smooth on the surface.  
 11. Behavior on various culture media:  
 1. Czapeks agar:  
  Good growth, white surface circumference with bluish ash-gray interior and ivory reverse. Aerial mycelium somewhat bluish ash-white powder, abundant. No soluble pigment.  
 2. Asparagine-glucose agar:  
  Growth somewhat suppressed; substantially colorless, glossy surface. No aerial mycelium. No pigment production.  
 3. Ca-malate agar:  
  Good growth, substantially colorless, later becoming bright ash-gray. Aerial mycelium powdery and ashgray. No pigment production.  
 4. Glucose-Czapek broth:  
  Moderate surface growth, dark gray. Aerial mycelium scant, ash-gray. No pigment production. 5. Nutrient agar:  
  Moderate, flat growth, milky brown, no aerial mycelium. Scant brown pigment. 6. Loefflers serum:  
  Poor growth, bluish black on the first to second day, later becoming milky brown. No aerial mycelium. N0 soluble pigment production.  
 7. Peptone-glucose agar:  
  Good growth with wrinkled colonies, grayish pale brown. No aerial mycelium. Scant yellowish brown pigment.  
 8. Egg-albumin agar:  
  Grayish white growth with powdery, ash-gray mycelium. No pigment production. 9. Gelatin:  
  Surface growth, slightly brownish white, gelatin liquefaction. Scant brown pigment. l0. Starch agar:  
  Good growth, yellowish green reverse and slightly whitish circumference. Aerial mycelium abundant, pale purple, powdery. No pigment production.  
 1 l. Tyrosin agar:  
  Growth restricted to flat small colonies. Aerial mycelium slightly grayish. powdery. Active melanin formation.  
 12. Litmus milk:  
  Surface growth of grayish cream color. Milk peptonized without coagulation. l3. Cellulose medium:  
 No growth.  
 ill. Utilization of Carbon Sources:  
 Sucrose Galatose Maltose Xylose Arabinose Fructose Rhamnose Raffmose Mannitol lnositol Lactose lnulin Sorbitol Sodium succinate Sodium citrate Salicin Sodium acetate Note: -llfully utilized The various properties described above clearly indicate that the present microorganism possesses features which are characteristic of microorganisms belonging to the genus Streptomyces.  
  These properties have been studied in comparison with the properties of numerous microorganisms of genus Streptomyces described in Bergys Manual of Determinative Bacteriology&#34; 7th edition (1957) and Waksmans The Actinomycetes 2nd edition (1961). As a result, it is found that in morphological characteristics, the present microorganism resembles Streptomyces albus and .S&#39;trepr0m \&#39;ces calms with respect to the points that the sporophores are not branched in whorl but have their ends spiral several rotations in the starch-inorganic salts medium and the potato-glucose medium, that the spores are smooth on the surface and are elliptical, and that the pigment-producing ability is extremely weak in protein-containig media and practically absent in synthetic media. However, the present microorganism shows high melanin-producing ability in the tyrosine agar medium, whereas the said species produce no melanin. Further, the present microorganism is characterized by producing aerial mycelium in bright purple color or bright purple color tinged slightly with rose color on the starch-agar medium, whereas the known species mentioned above have white or grayish aerial mycelium on the same medium. In these points, the present microorganisms can be clearly discriminated from the two strains mentioned above.  
  Strains productive of water-soluble basic antibiotic substances similar to Antibiotic 156 B-l have been discovered in Streptomyces Iavendulae and variants thereof. In morphological and physiological characteristics, these strains bear resemblance to Streptomyces No. 156. However, they can be clearly discriminated with respect to-the following points. The strains of Streptomyces lzivendulae invariably are highly productive of brown pigments in protein-containing media, while the present microorganism shows a very poor pigment-producing ability in protein-containing media. As concerns the color of the aerial mycelium formed on various media, the strains of Streptomyces lavendulae form aerial mycelia of rather dark colors such as ashbrown, yellow-brown, or pale-purple while the present microorganism generally forms aerial mycelia of ashwhite color in most cases in media other than starch medium.  
  Accordingly, the present microorganism has been judged to be a new strain and, therefore, has been designated as Streptomyces No. 156.  
  For the purpose of the present invention, not merely Streptomyces No. 156 but also natural and artificial mutants thereof can be used.  
  The antibiotic 156 8-1 (24010 B-l) is produced from the above described strain according to procedures known in the art. The characteristics of this antibiotic such as physico-chemical and biological properties are also known to those skilled in the art, as note, for example, the article by Shimojima et al. appearing in, The Journal of Antibiotics,Vol. 25, pages 604 -606.  
  The following examples are illustrative of the taeniacidal properties of the antibiotics set forth above.  
 Example 1 Efficacy of the Antibiotic S 15 -1 Against Natural Taenia taeniaeformis, Dipylidium caninum, and Spirometra mansonoides Infections in Cats Twenty-two female and fourteen male naturally infected cats were used for testing.  
  The presence of tapeworm infection before treatment was determined in each cat by the evidence of tapeworm proglottids in the feces or by the presence of tapeworm eggs on sugar flotation. The cats were fasted overnight before medication and the regular feeding was resumed three hours after medication. The cats were weighed immediately before dosing. The taeniacidal compound, the antibiotic S15 -1, was weighed to the nearest 5 mg. and placed in gelatine capsules and given to each cat as a single oral dose.  
  Total fecal collections were made from each cat daily for seven days. The fecal material was soaked in water for one to two hours,washed through a 40-mesh sieve using a water spray and the worms (scoleces, strobilae and proglottides) were recovered. Seven days after medication the cats were sacrificed after overnight fasting, the intestines were removed and examined for worms. The intestinal contents and mucosal scrapings were washed through a 40-mesh sieve and were examined for worms under the dissecting microscope 10 to 30 X magnification).  
  Taeniacidal efficacy was based on complete tapeworm removal. From the practical point of view, if over of tapeworms are removed from a cat the treatment has to be repeated due to the regrowth of the remaining worms. Therefore, if one scolex or tapeworm was recovered at necropsy the efficacy was zero. The following formula was used to calculate the efficacy:  
 number of cats cleared ercent eflicacy number of cats treated TABLE 1 Dose Cats treated Sex Body weight Species of tapeworms identified mg/kg No. male female kg Before treatment At necropsy T. taeniaeforrnis D. caninum T. taeniaeformis D. caninum No. of cats av. 3.1 15* 9 3 6 (1.8 5.0) 5 5 l 1 av. 3.7 22.5 4 3 1 (2.7 4.7) 3 1 O av. 2.7 45 8 2 6 (2.3 3.4) 8 l S. mansonoides was found in one cat in this group before treatment but was not present at necropsy.  
 TABLE 2 Combined infections Dose T. taeniaeformis D. caninum (T. taeniaeforrnis and D. caninum) mg/kg No. of cats Efficacy No. of cats Efficacy No. of cats Efficacy Treated Cleared 7c Treated Cleared 7r Treated Cleared l5 and over* l8 17 94 23 17 74 37 31 84 22 and over 13 13 100 18 13 72 28 24 86 30 and over 10 10 100 17 12 71 24 2O 83 37 and over 3 3 100 14 11 79 16 13 81 45 and over 8 7 88 8 7 88 100% cfl&#39;lcacy for S. mansonoides 35 EXAMPLE 2 compound in dual infections was evaluated against both species of tapeworm and therefore the total number of treatments listed under T. pisiformis and D. caninum is larger than the total number of dogs treated.  
  The procedure for determining the presence of tapeworm infection before treatment, the manner of administration of the taeniacidal compound, the method of worm recovery, and the formula used for determining per cent efficacy are as described in Example 1.  
 TABLE 1 Dose Dogs treated Sex Body weight Species of tapeworms identified mg/kg No. male female kg Before treatment At necropsy T. pisiformis D. caninum T. pisiformis D. canrum No. of dogs av 10.1 9 8 2 6 (7.7 12.6) 4 6 2 2 av. 10.45 12.5 2 1 l (10.4-10.5) 0 2 0 1 av. .6 7 3 4 (7.9 l1 3) 5 4 0 3 18 1 1 8.2 1 0 0 0 av. 8.4 11 3 8 (5.9-ll.0) 1O 3 0 1 av. 8.7 11 5 6 (SA-12.0) 3 8 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 200 3 2 1 av. 11.0 2 l 0 0 TABLE 2 Combined Infections Dose Taenia prslformis Dipylidium caninum (T. pisiformis and D. Caninum) mg/kg No. of dogs Efficacy No. of dogs Efficacy No. of dogs Efiicacy 18 d Treated Cleared /1 Treated Cleared 7i Treated Cleared 7( an lower 10 8 80 12 6 5O 18 ll 61 20 and hi her 43 42 98 23 18 78 60 55 92 2 and higher 30 30 100 20 i8 90 44 42 95 30 and higher 22 22 100 l6 94 36 35 97 35 and higher 16 16 100 l3 12 92 26 25 96 50 and higher 6 6 100 9 9 100 15 15 100 EXAMPLE 3 I Efficacy of the Antibiotic s 15 -1 Against Natural mmpmd Moniezia expansa and Moniezia benedeni Infections in mg./kg. animal number Sheep 1 2 3 4 control Streptothricin 3 X 200 DS DS Two sheep naturally parasitized with Monieziu ex- 5 Ur: no rcducflon pansa and Moniezia benea&#39;eni tapeworms received a sin- 05 w it-aims dcstrobilized gle dose of mg./kg. of the antibiotic S 15 l in gela- T U T E TS KZT tin capsules after overnight fasting. The procedures set EXAMPLE 6 forth in Example 1 were followed and it was determined that destrobilization of the tapeworms occurred. Another sheep treated with mg./kg. was found to be completely cleared of tapeworms with no scolices being recovered at necropsy.  
 EXAMPLE 4 Efficacy of the Antibiotic 156 B-l(24010 B1) Against Natural Taenia pisiformis and Dipylidium caninum Infections in Dogs One dog naturally parasitized with Taenia pisiformis tapeworm received a single dose of 50 mg./kg. of the antibiotic 156 B-l in gelatine capsules after overnight fasting. Total fecal collections were made twice a day for 7 days and they were examined for passing tapeworms. Seven days after medication the dog was sacrificed and the intestinal contents and mucosal scrapings were examined for worms under the dissecting microscope. There were no tapeworms present in necropsy.  
  Another dog naturally infected with Taenia pisifomis and Dipylidium caninum received a single oral dose of 25 mg./kg. of the antibiotic 156 B-l. At necropsy there were no Taenia pisiformis tapeworms found but one destrobilized Dipylidium caninum was recovered.  
 EXAMPLE 5 Efficacy of the Antibiotic Streptothricin Against Hymenolepis nana in Mice Female mice weighing 16 to 18 grams were orally inoculated with the tapeworm Hymenolepis nana. 500 plus eggs were inoculated into each mouse. 16 days after infection, the mice were treated for three consecutive days with a dosage of 200 mg./kg./day by gavage. The results are summarized in the following table.  
  Efficacy of the Antibiotic Streptothricin Produced from Streptomyces lavendulae Against Hymenolepis nana in Mice t Streptomyces lavendulae ATCC 8664 is a known microorganism available from the culture collection of the American Type Culture Collection (Rockville, Maryland) which has been reported as producing the antibiotic Streptothricin. The procedure followed for isolation of the streptothricin utilizes ion exchange chromatography, a procedure commonly employed with antibiotics of the Streptothricin class.  
  To produce theantibiotic, tomato paste-oatmeal agar slants were seeded with Streptomyces lavendulae ATCC 8664. The slants were incubated 10 to 14 days and then used to inoculate ml. of aqueous soybean meal medium contained in 500 ml. Erlenmeyer flasks. The composition of the germinatioin medium was:  
  Grams Toasted Nutrisoy Flour 15 Hi Starch l5 Glucose 50 CoCl .6H O 0.005 CaCO l0 Distilled water to 1.000 ml.  
  The medium was sterilized for 30 minutes at 121C and at. 15 lbs. steam pressure.  
  The germination flasks were incubated at 25C for 96 hours on a rotary shaker, operating at 280 r.p.m. with a 2 inch throw.  
  A 5% (v/v) transfer was made from the germination flask to 500 m1. Erlenmeyer flasks containing 100 ml. of the same medium used for the germination flasks. The fermentation flasks were incubated and agitated as were the germination flasks. After 168 hours of incubation, the contents of the flasks were pooled, and the resulting broth pool was adjusted to pH 3 by the addition of 6N hydrochloric acid. The cells were separated from the supernatant fluid by centrifugation and the supernatant fluid was adjusted to pH 7 by the addition of concentrated ammonium hydroxide.  
  Eight liters of supernate was added to a column of ion-exchange resin, [RC-50, (Nl-l 5 cm X 60 cm, to adsorb the antibiotic onto the resin. After washing the resin with 8 liters of water, the antibiotic was eluted with lN ammonium hydroxide. The chromatographic fractions, ml each, were conveniently followed by paper-disc, agar diffusion assay against Escherichia coli ATCC 10536. The active fractions were pooled (200 ml.) and concentrated in vacuo to approximately 50 ml. Twenty volumes of acetone were added to the concentrate and the suspension incubated at 5C overnight. The supernate fluid was removed by decantation and centrifugation. The precipitate was dissolved in approximately 5 ml. of water giving a concentrated solution of the antibiotic.  
  Mice, infected as described in Example 5, were treated for three conscutive days with a dosage of 0.5 ml. per day by gavage of the concentrated streptothricin preparation described above. The results are summarized in the following table.  
 Dose Worms recovered /l Clearance What is claimed is:  
  l. A method of treating a mammalian host infected with tapeworms which comprises administering to the host a therapeutically effective dose of an antibiotic selected from the group consisting of streptothricin, S 15 l, 156 13-1 and mixtures thereof.  
  2. The method of claim 1 wherein the antibiotic is streptothricin.  
  3. The method of claim 1 wherein the antibiotic is S 15 -l.  
  4. The method of claim 1 wherein the antibiotic is 156 8-1.  
  5. The method of claim 1 wherein the antibiotic is encapsulated within a gelatin capsule and is administered to the host orally.  
  6. The method of claim 1 wherein the antibiotic is formulated within a tablet or suspension and administered to the host orally.  
  7. The method of claim 1 wherein the antibiotic is administered in a dosage of about 5 to about 200 mg. per kilogram of body weight per day.  
  8. The method of claim 7 wherein the dosage is from about 25 to about mg. per kilogram of body weight per day.  
 9. The method of claim 1 wherein the host is a dog.  
 10. The method of claim 1 wherein the host is a cat.  
  11. The method of claim 1 wherein the host is a sheep.  
  UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTIGN PATENT NO. 3,876,778 DATED April 8, 1975 It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected asshown below; 7  
 Col 3, line 31, &#34;antibiotics&#34; should read antibioticus-.  
 Col. 5, line 40, &#34;containig&#34; should read containing.  
 Col. 5, line 50 &#34;microorganisms&#34; should read -microorganism.  
 Col. 6, line 29, &#34;Twenty-two&#34; should read Twenty-&#39;-three.  
 Col. 7, line 36, &#34;Antibiotics&#34; should read -Antibiotic Col. 9, line 50, &#34;in&#34; should read at-.  
 Signed and sealed this 1st day or July 1975.  
 (SEAL) Attest:  
  C. ZZARSPTALL DANE-T RUTH C. I&#39;TASON Commissioner of Patents Attestinsz Officer and Trademarks