Toxicity of bunamidine. 2. Metabolic effects

Authors: Sharard A, Cameron CW, Gray KW, Menrath RLE
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 21, Issue 10, pp 212-215, Oct 1973
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Companion animal, Dog
Subject Terms: Alimentary system/gastroenterology, Animal remedies/veterinary medicines, Anthelmintics, Parasite control, Parasites - internal, Notifiable organisms/exotic disease, Zoonosis, Metabolic disease, Poisoning - chemical, Treatment/therapy, Toxicology, Public health, Infectious disease
Article class: Scientific Article

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Abstract: Bunamidine is widely used as an anthelmintic in dogs in New Zealand but its use is restricted by occasional deaths, which are difficult to explain. Unfortunately, most deaths occur in farm dogs and few autopsy examinations are possible. It seems that some dogs that die within a day of treatment show severe fatty change in the liver, and in some of these it was clear that the liver injury preceded the treatment. For this information the writers are indebted to the field observations of G. A. Thompson, National Hydatids Council (Fastier, 1972). Numerous amidines have been found capable of damaging the liver. Interest in this property goes back to the use of decamethylene-diguanidine (“Synthalin”) as an oral hypoglycaemic drug. The metabolic effects of amidines are complex (Creutzfeldt and Soeling, 1961; Fastier, 1962). In some species the hypoglycaemia produced by a near-lethal dose is preceded by a period of hyperglycaemia possibly due to sympathetic over-activity. The hypoglycaemia is accompanied by increases in the serum levels of lactate, citrate and phosphate. Although it was doubted whether bunamidine would behave like a typical amidine because of the presence of two large alkyl groups on one of the amidinium nitrogen atoms, it was thought desirable to test the drug for such properties as hypoglycaemic activity on learning that some dogs seen to die after treatment with bunamidine were said to have had a fit. Hypoglycaemic convulsions can be produced by amidines like Synthalin. Evidence of liver damage after treatment with bunamidine has also been sought.

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