Component

Carbohydrate and energy metabolism of the parasite

Carbohydrate and energy metabolism of the parasite. Species, exposure and limitations are retained in each linked claim.

4 recorded relationships. Experimental role, claim status and evidence remain attached to each record.

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How nutrients influence it

Every nutrient with a recorded effect on this component, credited to the nutrient that acted rather than the chapter that recorded it. Open a nutrient to see the findings and the conditions they were measured under.

How nutrients reach it in more than one step

Chains of two or more recorded steps that end here, grouped by the nutrient they start from. Each step is a separate finding, so a chain is a route a mechanism could take, not proof that it does.

Tracing routes…

What it does

Every recorded relationship this component is part of, grouped by its role. Plain wording comes first; the technical statement follows.

Recorded relationships

What it acts on

  1. Steady-state pool sizes of glucose and metabolic intermediates including adenine nucleotides and end products revealed no differences between adult Haemonchus contortus resistant or susceptible to benzimidazoles, all three strains had similar levels of total lipid, protein and free amino acid and produced a similar sum total of end products, and although the mebendazole-resistant strain showed a diversion of carbon flow to the ethanol-producing pathway and greater cyanide-sensitive aerobic carbon dioxide output, the extent to which these metabolic differences may be related to benzimidazole resistance is not readily apparent.

    Carbohydrate and energy metabolism of the parasite → Resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics source_derived_draftungraded
    Experimental context and source evidence
    evidence_span
    {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/6427605.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "4834a68834e7916938d61b08f8dc38fb00085c0b43761372c8ef883da0d8cbf8", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1809, "text_sha256": "4834a68834e7916938d61b08f8dc38fb00085c0b43761372c8ef883da0d8cbf8"}
    experimental_model
    Biochemical comparison of susceptible, mebendazole-resistant and thiabendazole-resistant Haemonchus contortus in vitro
    exposure
    Steady-state metabolite pools, end products and labelled carbon dioxide over 30 to 60 minute and 18 hour incubations
    limitations
    A broad metabolic survey across matched resistant and susceptible strains. Its own authors state the relationship to resistance is not apparent.
    nutrient_topic
    Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. · Mebendazole
    organism
    Nematode
    plain_language
    Resistant and susceptible worms handle sugar much the same, so metabolism is not where resistance lives.
    primary_references
    [mbz-p6427605] Energy metabolism of adult Haemonchus contortus in vitro: a comparison of benzimidazole-susceptible and -resistant strains. (1984). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6427605/ DOI: 10.1016/0166-6851(84)90031-8
    tissue_or_cell_type
    Whole adult worms

    Mebendazole: the tubulin it binds, why that is selective, the crystal form that decides whether any of it works, and the off-target that became an oncology programme (2026-09-22) · lines 342–353

    AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Biochemical comparison of susceptible, mebendazole-resistant and thiabendazole-resistant Haemonchus contortus in vitro · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

    ### mbz-metabolism-does-not-explain-resistance Steady-state pool sizes of glucose and metabolic intermediates including adenine nucleotides and end products revealed no differences between adult Haemonchus contortus resistant or susceptible to benzimidazoles, all three strains had similar levels of total lipid, protein and free amino acid and produced a similar sum total of end products, and although the mebendazole-resistant strain showed a diversion of carbon flow to the ethanol-producing pathway and greater cyanide-sensitive aerobic carbon dioxide output, the extent to which these metabolic differences may be related to benzimidazole resistance is not readily apparent. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. plain_language: Resistant and susceptible worms handle sugar much the same, so metabolism is not where resistance lives. organism: Nematode tissue_or_cell_type: Whole adult worms experimental_model: Biochemical comparison of susceptible, mebendazole-resistant and thiabendazole-resistant Haemonchus contortus in vitro limitations: A broad metabolic survey across matched resistant and susceptible strains. Its own authors state the relationship to resistance is not apparent. exposure: Steady-state metabolite pools, end products and labelled carbon dioxide over 30 to 60 minute and 18 hour incubations evidence_span: {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/6427605.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "4834a68834e7916938d61b08f8dc38fb00085c0b43761372c8ef883da0d8cbf8", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1809, "text_sha256": "4834a68834e7916938d61b08f8dc38fb00085c0b43761372c8ef883da0d8cbf8"} [mbz-p6427605] Energy metabolism of adult Haemonchus contortus in vitro: a comparison of benzimidazole-susceptible and -resistant strains. (1984). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6427605/ DOI: 10.1016/0166-6851(84)90031-8
    Complete structured claim and evidence

Where it participates (unsigned role)

  1. Fumarate reductase activity in a thiabendazole-resistant Haemonchus contortus strain was significantly lower than in a susceptible strain, but activity in a mebendazole-resistant strain did not differ from the susceptible strain even though it was cross-resistant to thiabendazole, and on reassessment two American strains resistant to thiabendazole and to cambendazole had activities indistinguishable from corresponding susceptible strains, so that benzimidazole resistance cannot be generally correlated with diminished fumarate reductase activity although it may be a contributory factor in the specific Australian thiabendazole-resistant strains.

    Fumarate reductase of Haemonchus contortus → Resistance to benzimidazole anthelmintics source_derived_draftungraded
    Experimental context and source evidence
    evidence_span
    {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/6877276.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "59837d0bc8f0d0c120dd9d647dcd86cd046545768ec6ab198e2262d381aafbf7", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1052, "text_sha256": "59837d0bc8f0d0c120dd9d647dcd86cd046545768ec6ab198e2262d381aafbf7"}
    experimental_model
    Fumarate reductase activity compared across benzimidazole-susceptible and resistant Haemonchus contortus strains, with reassessment of published reports
    exposure
    Thiabendazole-resistant, mebendazole-resistant and susceptible strains
    limitations
    A proposed resistance mechanism tested across strains and largely rejected. The reassessment of other laboratories’ published values is the useful part.
    nutrient_topic
    Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. · Mebendazole
    organism
    Nematode
    plain_language
    A once-popular explanation for resistance, checked across strains and found not to hold.
    primary_references
    [mbz-p6877276] Observations on the fumarate reductase system in Haemonchus contortus and their relevance to anthelmintic resistance and to strain variations of energy metabolism. (1983). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6877276/ DOI: 10.1016/0166-6851(83)90011-7
    tissue_or_cell_type
    Mitochondrial electron transport

    Mebendazole: the tubulin it binds, why that is selective, the crystal form that decides whether any of it works, and the off-target that became an oncology programme (2026-09-22) · lines 329–340

    AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Fumarate reductase activity compared across benzimidazole-susceptible and resistant Haemonchus contortus strains, with reassessment of published reports · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

    ### mbz-fumarate-reductase-retired Fumarate reductase activity in a thiabendazole-resistant Haemonchus contortus strain was significantly lower than in a susceptible strain, but activity in a mebendazole-resistant strain did not differ from the susceptible strain even though it was cross-resistant to thiabendazole, and on reassessment two American strains resistant to thiabendazole and to cambendazole had activities indistinguishable from corresponding susceptible strains, so that benzimidazole resistance cannot be generally correlated with diminished fumarate reductase activity although it may be a contributory factor in the specific Australian thiabendazole-resistant strains. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. plain_language: A once-popular explanation for resistance, checked across strains and found not to hold. organism: Nematode tissue_or_cell_type: Mitochondrial electron transport experimental_model: Fumarate reductase activity compared across benzimidazole-susceptible and resistant Haemonchus contortus strains, with reassessment of published reports limitations: A proposed resistance mechanism tested across strains and largely rejected. The reassessment of other laboratories’ published values is the useful part. exposure: Thiabendazole-resistant, mebendazole-resistant and susceptible strains evidence_span: {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/6877276.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "59837d0bc8f0d0c120dd9d647dcd86cd046545768ec6ab198e2262d381aafbf7", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 1052, "text_sha256": "59837d0bc8f0d0c120dd9d647dcd86cd046545768ec6ab198e2262d381aafbf7"} [mbz-p6877276] Observations on the fumarate reductase system in Haemonchus contortus and their relevance to anthelmintic resistance and to strain variations of energy metabolism. (1983). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6877276/ DOI: 10.1016/0166-6851(83)90011-7
    Complete structured claim and evidence

  2. Of four benzimidazole anthelmintics tested on purified cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from Ascaris suum, Fasciola hepatica and Moniezia expansa, mebendazole exhibited the highest percentage inhibitions, and the authors conclude that cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase regulating glycogen synthesis are the sites of mebendazole inhibitory activity while the sites for the other anthelmintics remain unclear.

    Mebendazole → Cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase of helminths source_derived_draftungraded
    Experimental context and source evidence
    evidence_span
    {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/3617430.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "addd86672cc2c829b72354c05387892908f94c49f81e1236e372432c68a622fe", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 589, "text_sha256": "addd86672cc2c829b72354c05387892908f94c49f81e1236e372432c68a622fe"}
    experimental_model
    Inhibition assays on purified cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from three helminths
    exposure
    Albendazole, parbendazole, mebendazole and thiabendazole on purified enzyme extracts
    limitations
    A competing target claim. Enzyme inhibition percentages in purified extracts do not establish that this happens at therapeutic concentrations in a living parasite.
    nutrient_topic
    Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. · Mebendazole
    organism
    Helminth
    plain_language
    A rival account: the drug jams an enzyme of the worm’s sugar metabolism, and mebendazole does it hardest.
    primary_references
    [mbz-p3617430] Inhibition of malate dehydrogenase enzymes by benzimidazole anthelmintics. (1987). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3617430/ DOI: 10.1016/0304-4017(87)90048-3
    tissue_or_cell_type
    Ascaris suum, Fasciola hepatica and Moniezia expansa

    Mebendazole: the tubulin it binds, why that is selective, the crystal form that decides whether any of it works, and the off-target that became an oncology programme (2026-09-22) · lines 238–249

    AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Inhibition assays on purified cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from three helminths · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

    ### mbz-inhibits-malate-dehydrogenase Of four benzimidazole anthelmintics tested on purified cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from Ascaris suum, Fasciola hepatica and Moniezia expansa, mebendazole exhibited the highest percentage inhibitions, and the authors conclude that cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase regulating glycogen synthesis are the sites of mebendazole inhibitory activity while the sites for the other anthelmintics remain unclear. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. plain_language: A rival account: the drug jams an enzyme of the worm’s sugar metabolism, and mebendazole does it hardest. organism: Helminth tissue_or_cell_type: Ascaris suum, Fasciola hepatica and Moniezia expansa experimental_model: Inhibition assays on purified cytoplasmic and mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase from three helminths limitations: A competing target claim. Enzyme inhibition percentages in purified extracts do not establish that this happens at therapeutic concentrations in a living parasite. exposure: Albendazole, parbendazole, mebendazole and thiabendazole on purified enzyme extracts evidence_span: {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/3617430.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "addd86672cc2c829b72354c05387892908f94c49f81e1236e372432c68a622fe", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 589, "text_sha256": "addd86672cc2c829b72354c05387892908f94c49f81e1236e372432c68a622fe"} [mbz-p3617430] Inhibition of malate dehydrogenase enzymes by benzimidazole anthelmintics. (1987). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3617430/ DOI: 10.1016/0304-4017(87)90048-3
    Complete structured claim and evidence

  3. Pyruvate kinase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activities in the Echinococcus granulosus cyst wall were markedly inhibited by mebendazole and albendazole while fumarate hydratase activity showed no apparent change, with inhibition rates in the mebendazole group of 85 to 88% and 90 to 92% respectively against 55.3% and 71.6% in the albendazole group, suggesting that these two enzymes may be an important site attacked by effective anti-hydatid drugs.

    Mebendazole → Pyruvate kinase of the Echinococcus cyst wall source_derived_draftungraded
    Experimental context and source evidence
    evidence_span
    {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/8010090.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "581715173f3b7176eda8a357166f1647196f646769b75ee7ca9070342a9c312b", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 933, "text_sha256": "581715173f3b7176eda8a357166f1647196f646769b75ee7ca9070342a9c312b"}
    experimental_model
    Enzyme activity assays on Echinococcus granulosus cyst wall from infected mice after 7 to 14 days of treatment
    exposure
    Mebendazole 25 to 50, albendazole 300 and praziquantel 500 milligrams per kilogram daily by gavage
    limitations
    An in vivo enzyme measurement with a head-to-head dose comparison, though the doses are not equipotent and the cyst wall is one tissue.
    nutrient_topic
    Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. · Mebendazole
    organism
    Cestode
    plain_language
    In a live infection mebendazole shut down two sugar-handling enzymes almost completely, and did so harder than albendazole.
    primary_references
    [mbz-p8010090] Effects of mebendazole, albendazole, and praziquantel on fumarate hydratase, pyruvate kinase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase of Echinococcus granulosus cyst wall harbored in mice. (1994). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8010090/
    tissue_or_cell_type
    Hydatid cyst wall

    Mebendazole: the tubulin it binds, why that is selective, the crystal form that decides whether any of it works, and the off-target that became an oncology programme (2026-09-22) · lines 251–262

    AI-assisted literature curation; primary study URLs and scope retained in the document and extraction. Not publisher full text. · supports · Enzyme activity assays on Echinococcus granulosus cyst wall from infected mice after 7 to 14 days of treatment · source_derived_draft · unverified_draft

    ### mbz-inhibits-pk-and-pepck Pyruvate kinase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase activities in the Echinococcus granulosus cyst wall were markedly inhibited by mebendazole and albendazole while fumarate hydratase activity showed no apparent change, with inhibition rates in the mebendazole group of 85 to 88% and 90 to 92% respectively against 55.3% and 71.6% in the albendazole group, suggesting that these two enzymes may be an important site attacked by effective anti-hydatid drugs. Condition category: normal nutrient_topic: Mebendazole research collection; topical membership is not evidence of a direct clinical effect, and mebendazole is recorded separately from albendazole, from the benzimidazole class and from its own crystal forms. plain_language: In a live infection mebendazole shut down two sugar-handling enzymes almost completely, and did so harder than albendazole. organism: Cestode tissue_or_cell_type: Hydatid cyst wall experimental_model: Enzyme activity assays on Echinococcus granulosus cyst wall from infected mice after 7 to 14 days of treatment limitations: An in vivo enzyme measurement with a head-to-head dose comparison, though the doses are not equipotent and the cyst wall is one tissue. exposure: Mebendazole 25 to 50, albendazole 300 and praziquantel 500 milligrams per kilogram daily by gavage evidence_span: {"source_cache": "artifacts/mebendazole-research/8010090.abstract.txt", "locator": "Indexed abstract; zero-based, end-exclusive Unicode character offsets", "file_sha256": "581715173f3b7176eda8a357166f1647196f646769b75ee7ca9070342a9c312b", "start_char": 0, "end_char": 933, "text_sha256": "581715173f3b7176eda8a357166f1647196f646769b75ee7ca9070342a9c312b"} [mbz-p8010090] Effects of mebendazole, albendazole, and praziquantel on fumarate hydratase, pyruvate kinase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase of Echinococcus granulosus cyst wall harbored in mice. (1994). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8010090/
    Complete structured claim and evidence

In the sources

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