Niclosamide reduced signs of endometriosis in mice — ScienceAlert

In the United States, researchers tested an experimental form of niclosamide — a drug against intestinal parasites — on mice with endometriosis-like lesions. After a single injection, the drug, delivered to target immune cells by a special molecular carrier, reduced the number and size of lesions as well as the animals’ increased pain sensitivity.

The results of the study, published in the journal Advanced Healthcare Materials, were reported by ScienceAlert. Endometriosis is a chronic disease in which tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. It can cause inflammation, severe pelvic pain, painful menstruation, and fertility problems.

Delivering the drug to macrophages

Scientists from Washington State University, the University of Michigan, and the University of Florida focused on macrophages — immune cells that can support lesion development through inflammatory signals and growth factors. Some of these cells have the folate receptor beta, or FRβ, on their surface.

The team created a dendrimer — a small branched molecular structure. They attached folic acid, which can bind to FRβ, as well as niclosamide. This carrier is intended to improve the drug’s solubility in water and deliver it to specific cells. Niclosamide dissolves poorly in water and enters the bloodstream in limited amounts after oral administration.

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Results in mice

For the experiment, researchers introduced uterine lining tissue from donor animals into the abdominal cavity of mice to induce endometriosis-like lesions. Seven days later, the animals received one injection: the control group received a drug-free carrier, while the other groups received a carrier with niclosamide at two doses.

Two weeks after treatment, mice that received the drug had fewer and smaller lesions. During lesion assessment, no lesions were found in four of eight animals in the lower-dose group and in five of eight in the higher-dose group. Both doses also reduced the increased response to mechanical pressure.

The authors emphasize that the work is at the preclinical stage. The study does not establish the therapy’s effectiveness for people, its long-term effects, the safety of repeated use, or the degree of pain relief in patients. Several authors, including Kanako Hayashi and Anjali Sharma, reported patent applications and invention disclosures related to dendrimer technology.