Albendazole: Features of Use and Reviews

Albendazole is a medication widely used to treat helminthiasis in humans and animals. It is prescribed for a number of diseases caused by parasitic infestations, including giardiasis, ascariasis, and many others.

Albendazole was developed over 40 years ago and is included in the World Health Organization's key list of drugs. This medication is taken orally according to the instructions. Today, you'll learn about the specific uses of Albendazole and read reviews.

How does Albendazole work?

Thanks to Albendazole degenerative changes occur in the intestinal cells of the wormDuring the suppression of tubulin polymerization, cellular cytoplasmic microtubules located in the intestinal parasitic tract are destroyed.

The action of the drug occurs through changes in biochemical processes as follows:

• glucose utilization slows down;
• ATP synthesis is inhibited;
• The movement of secretory granules and other organelles present in muscle granule cells is blocked.

All these measures ultimately provoke the death of the helminth.

Reviews say that Albendazole effectively eliminates cestodes and nematodesIt is actively used for both mono- and poly-infestations. It either shrinks cysts or destroys them entirely when the patient suffers from granular echinococcosis.

Studies have shown that the number of non-viable cysts increases by more than 90 percent. after using the drug compared to patients who did not take it. Reviews of the drug's effective use confirm this.

How to take Albendazole?

Albendazole It is recommended to take it with food, preferably fatty, which helps enhance absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. It is partially converted to albendazole sulfoxide, which is the primary metabolite. Furthermore, the drug has anthelmintic activity and is distributed almost entirely throughout the human body, reaching the following organs:

• liver;
• urine;
• bile;
• cerebrospinal fluid.

And the primary metabolite becomes albendazole sulfone and other oxidation products.

Maximum blood concentration level of the drug observed 2–5 hours after drug administration. Albendazole is excreted primarily as a primary metabolite in the bile. A small amount is also excreted in the urine.

Indications for use of Albendazole

This remedy is used to treat diseases such as:

• enterobiasis;
• toxocariasis;
• Ancylostomiasis;
• cysticercosis;
• opisthorchiasis;
• giardiasis;
• echinococcosis;
• trichuriasis;
• neurocystecercosis;
• mixed helminthiases and other diseases.

A drug like this Albendazole is used in many countries around the world., including in Russia and other CIS countries, it receives only positive reviews. In African countries, it is used to treat lymphatic filariasis and prevent infections. In these regions, the drug is used in conjunction with Ivermectin.

If we speak about the dosage and duration of use of the drug, then you need to focus on the requirements of the instructions and factors such as:

• type of helminthiasis;
• body weight;
• degree of invasion;
• age.

Use of Albendazole in humans

Daily human dosage of the drug It depends on the patient's weight and other factors. Below, we'll discuss the specifics of using the product depending on the condition:

• For neurocysticercosis and echinococcosis, people weighing up to 60 kilograms are prescribed 15 mg per kilogram. Take twice daily. For weight exceeding 60 kg, the dosage is 400 mg twice daily. The treatment course for echinococcosis consists of three cycles, each lasting 28 days. A two-week interval must be observed between each cycle. For neurocysticercosis, therapy lasts 8-30 days and includes not only albendazole but also anticonvulsants and corticosteroids (oral or intravenous), if needed.
• For adults with ascariasis, enterobiasis, trichuriasis, and hookworm infection, the dose should be 400 mg once daily. If necessary, the dose can be repeated after a couple of weeks. Children weighing up to 20 kg are prescribed 200 mg.
• Filariasis: 400 mg of the drug is prescribed twice daily. The course of treatment at this dosage is 10 days;

• enterocolitis - take 400 mg once a day;

• For toxocariasis, the prescribed dosage is 400 mg twice a day for 5 days, however, judging by the reviews of some doctors, the course of treatment lasts 20 days;
• Strongyloidiasis: Take 400 mg twice daily for one week. If trichinosis occurs, the dosage is similar, but the course lasts from one to two weeks. For this condition, I take 400 mg once daily for three days.
• If you have liver fluke, you should take 10 mg of the drug per kilogram of weight once a day for a week;
• Cysticercosis – in this case, adults are prescribed 400 mg twice daily, while children are prescribed 15 mg per kilogram of body weight, also twice daily. The course of treatment ranges from 8 to 30 days;
• Echinococcosis – for this condition, the patient should take 400 mg of Albendazole twice daily. The recommended course of treatment is from one month to six months;
• Giardiasis – the patient is prescribed 200 mg twice daily. Children should take 10-15 mg of the medication per kilogram of body weight for a week;
• For strongyloidiasis, Albendazole is given twice a day at 400 mg. Treatment is designed for a week;
• Microsporidiasis – treatment for this disease consists of 15 mg of the drug per kilogram of body weight for children or 400 mg for adults, taken twice daily.

It is highly recommended not to exceed the maximum possible dosage of the drug according to the instructions, which is 800 mg per day.

Treatment of animals with Albendazole

This the drug is also widely used in veterinary medicine, and the reviews are mostly positive from both doctors and animal owners.

The dosage of the drug depends on the type of animal and its weight:

• cats and dogs – 0.25 g of product per 8 kilograms of weight;
• cattle and poultry – 0.5 grams per 50 kilograms;
• horses - 0.5 grams per 100 kilograms required;
• small cattle - also 0.5 grams per 80 kilograms;
• pigs - the same amount of product per 40 kilograms.

Possible contraindications and side effects

It is not recommended to prescribe Albendazole Patients who are hypersensitive to it or any of its components should not take it. It should also not be taken during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It should only be prescribed to children under 2 years of age in cases of extreme necessity and with extreme caution.

There must be at least a 2-week interval between courses of treatment using this drug, otherwise the consequences may be negative.

In terms of side effects, Albendazole causes the following:

• febrile conditions;
• dizziness;
• vomiting and nausea;
• abdominal pain;
• hair loss.

In some cases, the following phenomena may occur:

• persistent sore throat;
• vision problems;
• convulsions;
• yellowing of the eyeballs and skin;
• darkening of urine;
• stomach ache;
• mood swings;
• allergies.

In isolated cases, acute liver failure occurs after taking the drug.

Among the negative phenomena After using Albendazole, the following also occur:

• skin itching;
• leukopenia;
• dyspepsia;
• renal dysfunction;
• pancytopenia;
• meningeal symptoms;
• agranulocytosis.

Interaction of the drug with other drugs

To Albendazole was more effectiveIn severe cases of the disease, the following medications are prescribed:

• Carbamazepine;
• Phenobarbital;
• Cimetidine;
• Phenytoin.

They contribute to an increase in the plasma concentration of Albendazole, as well as the serum concentration of the drug.

Trade names and price of the drug

Albendazole has the following trade names:

• Zentel;
• Nemozol;
• Sanoxal;
• Wormil;
• Aldazole;
• Gelmadol.

All these the products have the same active ingredient and have the same effect.

Albendazole-based products are available in the following forms:

• tablets (including children's chewable tablets);
• capsules;
• suspensions.

The average price is $3-4 per dose. It also depends on the country where the drug is sold, as prices can vary significantly even in neighboring countries.

For example, average price per dose Nemozole costs $3 in Russia and $8 in Ukraine, while Sanoxal costs $3 and $10 respectively.

On average, prices for products containing Albendazole in local currencies are as follows:

• Russia – 20 0– 350 rubles;
• Ukraine – 7.5 – 135 hryvnia;
• Belarus – 20,000 Belarusian rubles.

Albendazole analogues

Albendazole is a drug belonging to the benzimidazole groupIts key analogues are:

• Thiabendazole;
• Mebendazole.

There are other anthelmintic drugs in this group, such as Oxfendazole and Febendazole, but they are highly toxic and are only used in veterinary medicine.

Reviews

Albendazole is very a popular product in its categoryIt has a large number of positive reviews. These include not only online patient reviews but also professional recommendations from doctors.

Below are patient reviews from open sources.

Parasites can infect both humans and animals, and to cure them, you need to use an effective and proven remedy. And albenazole is one of them.