Potential of emodepside for vector-borne disease control

Abstract Background Emodepside is an anthelmintic used in veterinary medicine that is currently under investigation in human clinical trials for the treatment of soil-transmitted helminths and possibly Onchocerca volvulus. Emodepside targets the calcium-activated voltage-gated potassium slowpoke 1 (...

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Main Authors: Pattarapon Khemrattrakool, Thitipong Hongsuwong, Theerawit Phanphoowong, Patchara Sriwichai, Kittiyod Poovorawan, Joel Tarning, Kevin C. Kobylinski
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-01-01
Series:Malaria Journal
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-025-05250-8
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author Pattarapon Khemrattrakool
Thitipong Hongsuwong
Theerawit Phanphoowong
Patchara Sriwichai
Kittiyod Poovorawan
Joel Tarning
Kevin C. Kobylinski
author_facet Pattarapon Khemrattrakool
Thitipong Hongsuwong
Theerawit Phanphoowong
Patchara Sriwichai
Kittiyod Poovorawan
Joel Tarning
Kevin C. Kobylinski
author_sort Pattarapon Khemrattrakool
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Emodepside is an anthelmintic used in veterinary medicine that is currently under investigation in human clinical trials for the treatment of soil-transmitted helminths and possibly Onchocerca volvulus. Emodepside targets the calcium-activated voltage-gated potassium slowpoke 1 (SLO-1) channels of presynaptic nerves of pharynx and body wall muscle cells of nematodes leading to paralysis, reduced locomotion and egg laying, starvation, and death. Emodepside also has activity against Drosophila melanogaster SLO-1 channels. Orthologous SLO-1 genes are present in Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti, suggesting that emodepside may have activity against mosquitoes. Methods Both Anopheles dirus and Ae. aegypti were blood-fed emodepside across a range of concentrations (1–10,000 nM) and mosquito survival was monitored for 10 days. Co-feeding experiments were also performed with An. dirus blood fed ivermectin at the concentrations that kills 25% (LC25) and 50% (LC50) of mosquitoes with and without emodepside at clinical peak concentration in humans (Cmax) and five times the Cmax, and mosquito survival was monitored for 10 days. Results Emodepside had weak mosquito-lethal effects in An. dirus but none observed in Ae. aegypti at the concentrations evaluated. The An. dirus emodepside LC50 was 4,623 [4,159–5,066] ng/ml which is > 100-fold greater than the peak concentrations seen in human. The ivermectin and emodepside co-feed experiment with An. dirus did not indicate any altered effect of ivermectin on mosquito survival when emodepside co-fed at human Cmax or five times that of the human Cmax. Conclusions Emodepside was not lethal to An. dirus at human-relevant concentrations and had no effect on Ae. aegypti survival. Thus, mass distribution of emodepside does not appear to be a potential tool for vector-borne disease control. Emodepside induced mortality in An. dirus does suggest that the SLO-1 channel could be a potential target for novel vector control and may warrant further investigation.
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spelling doaj-art-1bcc612700594ce2ad1659a247c3c7042025-01-19T12:11:08ZengBMCMalaria Journal1475-28752025-01-012411510.1186/s12936-025-05250-8Potential of emodepside for vector-borne disease controlPattarapon Khemrattrakool0Thitipong Hongsuwong1Theerawit Phanphoowong2Patchara Sriwichai3Kittiyod Poovorawan4Joel Tarning5Kevin C. Kobylinski6Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityDepartment of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityDepartment of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityMahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol UniversityAbstract Background Emodepside is an anthelmintic used in veterinary medicine that is currently under investigation in human clinical trials for the treatment of soil-transmitted helminths and possibly Onchocerca volvulus. Emodepside targets the calcium-activated voltage-gated potassium slowpoke 1 (SLO-1) channels of presynaptic nerves of pharynx and body wall muscle cells of nematodes leading to paralysis, reduced locomotion and egg laying, starvation, and death. Emodepside also has activity against Drosophila melanogaster SLO-1 channels. Orthologous SLO-1 genes are present in Anopheles gambiae and Aedes aegypti, suggesting that emodepside may have activity against mosquitoes. Methods Both Anopheles dirus and Ae. aegypti were blood-fed emodepside across a range of concentrations (1–10,000 nM) and mosquito survival was monitored for 10 days. Co-feeding experiments were also performed with An. dirus blood fed ivermectin at the concentrations that kills 25% (LC25) and 50% (LC50) of mosquitoes with and without emodepside at clinical peak concentration in humans (Cmax) and five times the Cmax, and mosquito survival was monitored for 10 days. Results Emodepside had weak mosquito-lethal effects in An. dirus but none observed in Ae. aegypti at the concentrations evaluated. The An. dirus emodepside LC50 was 4,623 [4,159–5,066] ng/ml which is > 100-fold greater than the peak concentrations seen in human. The ivermectin and emodepside co-feed experiment with An. dirus did not indicate any altered effect of ivermectin on mosquito survival when emodepside co-fed at human Cmax or five times that of the human Cmax. Conclusions Emodepside was not lethal to An. dirus at human-relevant concentrations and had no effect on Ae. aegypti survival. Thus, mass distribution of emodepside does not appear to be a potential tool for vector-borne disease control. Emodepside induced mortality in An. dirus does suggest that the SLO-1 channel could be a potential target for novel vector control and may warrant further investigation.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-025-05250-8EmodepsideIvermectinAnopheles dirusAedes aegyptiMosquitoSurvival
spellingShingle Pattarapon Khemrattrakool
Thitipong Hongsuwong
Theerawit Phanphoowong
Patchara Sriwichai
Kittiyod Poovorawan
Joel Tarning
Kevin C. Kobylinski
Potential of emodepside for vector-borne disease control
Malaria Journal
Emodepside
Ivermectin
Anopheles dirus
Aedes aegypti
Mosquito
Survival
title Potential of emodepside for vector-borne disease control
title_full Potential of emodepside for vector-borne disease control
title_fullStr Potential of emodepside for vector-borne disease control
title_full_unstemmed Potential of emodepside for vector-borne disease control
title_short Potential of emodepside for vector-borne disease control
title_sort potential of emodepside for vector borne disease control
topic Emodepside
Ivermectin
Anopheles dirus
Aedes aegypti
Mosquito
Survival
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-025-05250-8
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