評估Albendazole及龍草混合治療對鼷鼠感染廣東住血線蟲誘發基質金屬蛋白－9及嗜伊紅性腦膜炎之作用

抗蠕蟲葯albendazole能殺死感染腦部的廣東住血線蟲(Angiostrongylus cantonensis)幼蟲，但是被殺死的蟲體死時會引起腦部傷害的免疫反應。龍草(Long-Dan-Cao)是一種很普通的中國中草藥。為了分析albendazole及龍草混合治療鼷鼠感染廣東住血線蟲誘發蛋白分解酵素(proteolytic enzymes)及嗜伊紅性腦膜炎(eosinophilic meningitis)之作用，本試驗分析療效的指標性因子包括：1)組織學的改變；2)基質金屬蛋白-9(matrix metalloproteinase-9, MMP-9)；3)白蛋白(albumin)；及4)嗜伊紅性白血球(eosinophil)計數。這些結果顯示albendazole及龍草混合治療明顯抑制廣東住血線蟲所誘發之蛋白分解酵素，這些結果顯示以龍草輔助albendazole治療是相當有效的策略。
The anthelmintic agent albendazole can kill the Angiostrongylus cantonensis larvae that infect the brain in patients with eosinophilic meningitis or meningoencephalitis, but the dead larvae are capable of evoking a severe, brain damaging immune response. This prompted us to investigate the effect of using Long-Dan-Cao, one of the most wellknown Chinese herbal medicines. We, therefore, used A. cantonensis to induce proteolytic enzymes and eosinophilic meningitis in BALB/c mice in order to evaluate the effect of Long-Dan-Cao as well as the effect of using it as a co-therapy with albendazole by assay. Assay indicators for the therapeutic effect include: histological changes, matrix metalloproteinase-9, albumin, and eosinophil counts. Our results showed that the albendazole and Long-Dan-Cao co-therapy is effective against A. cantonensis-induced proteolytic enzymes and that Long-Dan-Cao has therapeutic value for parasitic meningitis.