Reversal of drug resistance in Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania donovani by verapamil

Abstract

Following previous studies of verapamil reversal of chloroquine resistance in malaria and multi-drug resistance in cancer cells, the effect of verapamil was investigated on nifurtimox-resistant Trypanosoma cruzi in vitro and antimony-resistant Leishmania donovani in vitro and in vivo. Verapamil alone was not active against either parasite, but in combination with nifurtimox it reversed the drug resistance of T. cruzi and in combination with sodium stibogluconate reversed the drug resistance of L. donovani.