Glutathione Transferase of Schistoma Mansoni and its Interaction with Praziquantel.

Abstract

Glutathione S-transferases play an important role in the excretion of xenobiotics as well as in the antioxidant defence system of cells. The glutathione S-transferase of the parasitic' trematode Schistosoma mansoni has been studied. The results of preliminary experiments are presented here. The pH optimum of the enzyme was found to be 9.5 which is much higher than that of the mammalian liver enzyme. The apparent Km for the substrate 1 chloro 2,4 dinitrobenzene (CDNBL was 1.25 mN and for glutathione was 0.37 roM. The antischistosomal drug Praziquantel was found to inhibit the conjugation of CDNB in a competitive manner. The implications of these results will be discussed.