Phototoxicity occurring during the manufacture of ultraviolet-cured ink.

Four workers employed in the manufacture of ultraviolet-cured inks complained of photosensitivity characterized by an intense burning sensation during sun exposure. Three of these workers developed dermatitis on exposed areas following sun exposure. Six compounds used as photoinitiators in the ink formulations were found to absorb solar ultraviolet radiation. Two preparations of mixed isomers (ortho and para) of amyl dimethylaminobenzoate were found to be phototoxic to Ehrlich ascites cells in vitro and to produce diphasic phototoxic reactions in vivo after topical application on symptomatic workers, asymptomatic workers, or previously unexposed subjects. These responses could be prevented in two subjects by the application of a 10% sulizobenzone sunscreen prior to sun exposure. Two other photoinitiators, Michler's ketone and thioxanthone were phototoxic in vitro but not after topical application in vivo.

Suppressive treatment of schistosomiasis mansoni with spaced doses of lucanthone hydrochloride

From 60 children infected with S. mansoni who started treatment on 500 mg. lucanthone hydrochloride a week for 10 weeks, 49 were observed for 26 weeks and 20 for 10 weeks longer. At the end of treatment a mean reduction in egg output of 83.4 percent had been obtained, but this increased to 89.5 percent at the 14th week and remained at this level through the 26th and 36th weeks. An overall parasitological "cure" rate of 36.7 percent was recorded but all "cures" came from the group of 27 children who had initial egg loads of less than 10,000 per whole stool. The mean reduction in egg output was, however, essentially the same irrespective of initial egg load. Two smaller control group given ferrous fumarate and observed over the same period; showed significant increases in egg output by the 26th week of the observation period; the mean egg load increased from 0 to 1,900 per stool in one group and from 6,300 to 9,500 per stool in the other. There were no side effects; the drug was given by a nurse (Summary)

Trial of an enteric-coated preparation of lucanthone hydrochloride in Schistosoma mansoni infection

Standard 250 mg. tablets of luncanthrone hydrochloride were coated with acetate phthalate and given to 50 out-patients suffering from S. mansoni infections with pre-treatment egg loads of up to 75,000 per 24 hours. The purposes of the trial were to assess this oral preparation, which proved to have a low incidence of side effects, was widely accepted by the patients, and was efficient enough for use within a schistosomiasis control programme. At the end of the 12 weeks, 16 patients were classed as "cured," but a mean overall reduction in egg output of 81.5 percent was obtained. 18 patients had completed 26 weeks of follow-up at the time of writing. The "cure" rates and mean percentage reduction in egg output obtaining at 12 weeks were maintained during this extended period. The recorded side effects were few compared with those encountered with the ordinary tablet (24 percent vs. 90 percent) and were minimal, nausea being the commonest. There were no cases of vomiting although this occurred in 41 percent with the uncoated, standard tablet in an earlier series (Summary)

Lucanthone hydrochloride in the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni infection

Most reports on lucanthone hydrochloride in the treatment of schistosomiasis have come from Africa and have recorded the efficiency of the drug against infection with S. hematobium. In St. Lucia, British West Indies, S. mansoni infection is prevalent but no cases of S. heamotabium have ever been noted. The trial of lucanthone hydrochloride was conducted for two reasons:- to assess the theraputic effacacy of the drug when used against the St. Lucian strain of S. mansoni (strain variations have been noted between different areas of the world and between countries lying close to each other), and to evaluate its possible suppressive or theraputic use within a program of schistosomiasis control on the island (Summary)