TABLE 2.
Effects of nifurtimox, benznidazole, and buthionine sulfoximine on T. cruzi epimastigote growth
| Treatment | ICkc50 (μM)a |
|---|---|
| Nifurtimox | 14.01 ± 1.75 |
| Nifurtimox + 500 μM BSO | 9.04 ± 0.03* |
| Benznidazole | 43.64 ± 1.59 |
| Benznidazole + 500 μM BSO | 23.96 ± 0.77** |
| BSO | 13,600 ± 520 |
a
ICkc50 values correspond to the drug concentrations needed to reduce the growth constant by 50%. They were calculated by linear regression analysis of the plot of growth constant versus drug concentration. The control kc value was 0.480 ± 0.02 day−1 (r2, 0.97; P < 0.005). Values correspond to the means ± SD from three independent experiments. Nifurtimox and benznidazole ICkc50s were significantly lowered by the addition of 500 μM BSO (P = 0.0385 [*] and P < 0.0001 [**] by two-way ANOVAs). See Materials and Methods for details.