Acute Toxic Effects of levamisole and Ivermectin in Mice

The study's objectives were to investigate the acute toxicity and related biochemical effects of levamisole and ivermectin in mice. The 24 h oral median lethal dose (LD50) of levamisole was determined by the up-and-down method and was 155.5 mg/ kg of body weight. The treated mice showed signs of acute poisoning represented by excessive grooming, lacrimation, piloerection, straub tail, tachycardia, bulged eyes, tremor, convulsion and finally death within 24 h of treatment. The approximate lethal dose (ALD) of levamisole was 368 mg/kg, and the mice showed signs of poisoning similar to the previous signs of poisoning within 24 h of treatment. The 24 h oral LD50 of ivermectin was 115.2 mg/kg and the mice showed acute signs of poisoning, represented by excessive grooming, lacrimation, closed eyelids, piloerection, tachycardia, rapid respiration, depression, flat body appearance, paralysis and finally death within 24 h of treatment, while the approximate lethal dose of ivermectin was 121 mg/kg and also with the presence of severe poisoning signs as mentioned before. Non-lethal toxic doses of levamisole at 100 and 150 mg/kg and ivermectin at 75 and 100 mg/kg led to significant blood biochemical changes after 24 h of treatment, represented by a significant increase in the activity of the enzymes alkaline phosphatase (ALP), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and a significantly increased total bilirubin concentration in the blood plasma of mice. These results proved the presence of acute toxicity and biochemical effects of both anthelmintics levamisole and ivermectin even though they have wide safety margins.