Albendazole
Tablet, 200mg
Oral Suspension, 100mg/5ml

Indications: - for the treatment of single or mixed intestinal nematode infection such as ascariasis, enterbiasis, hookworm infection, or trichuriasis and strongyloidiasis. Also for treatment of hydatid disease caused by Echinococcus glanulosus.

Cautions: - Breast-feeding. Exclude pregnancy before starting treatment.

Contraindications: - pregnancy.

Side effects: - GIT disturbances, headache, dizziness, changes in liver enzyme, rarely reversible alopecia (loss of hair), rash, fever, blood disorders, including leucopenia and pancytopenia.

Dose and Administration-

Adult and children over 2 years - with ascariasis, enterobiasis, hookworm infection, or trichuriasis, by mouth, 400mg as a single dose.

Strongyloidiasis, by mouth, Adult and Child over 2 years, 400mg given daily for 3 consecutive days.

Storage: at room temperature.

Levamisole
Tablet, 40mg

Indications: treatment of ascariasis and other worm infections.

Cautions: - sensitive to levamisole

Drug Interactions - anticoagulants (cumarine and indandione), bone marrow depressants.

Contraindications - advanced liver or kidney disease, pre-existing blood disorders.

Side effects: - nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness and headache.

Dose and Administration: -

Adults, by mouth, 120mg (3 tablets) as a single dose

Children, by mouth, 3mg per kg of body weight as a single dose.

Mebendazole
Tablets, 100mg
Syrup, 100mg/5ml

Indications: For the treatment of whipworm (trichuris trichuria), pinworm (Enterobius Vermicularis), roundworm (Ascaris Lumbricoids), hookworm (Ancylostoma duodenale, Nectar americanus), in single or mixed infections.

Cautions: ulcerative colitis, liver diseases, hypersensitivity, in children under 2 years, during pregnancy and in nursing women. In hookworm and whipworm infections iron supplements may be required as anemia may occur.

To prevent reinfection all other infected member of the family should be treated. Personal hygiene and sanitation should be observed and all bedding and nightclothes washed after treatment, especially in pinworm infection.

Side effects: - transient abdominal pain or upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness, headache, skin rash and itching may occur occasionally in cases of massive infection and expulsion of worms.

Dose and administration: - orally, preferably with meals.

Adults and children:

Pinworm -100mg as a single dose. It should be repeated in 2 - 3 weeks.

Roundworm, Whipworm, Hookworm infections or mixed infection -100mg twice daily, morning and evening, for 3 consecutive days. May be repeated in 2- 3 weeks if required.

Storage: at room temperature, in well-closed containers.

Niclosamide
Tablet (chewable), 500mg.

Indications: tapeworm infections.

Cautions: caution in patients with hypersensitivity to niclosamide, in children under 2 years and during pregnancy.

Side effects: nausea or vomiting, stomach pain, bad taste in mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, skin rash and itching may rarely occur.

Dose and administration: Orally, preferably after a light meal or breakfast. Tablets should be crushed or chewed thoroughly and washed down with a small amount of water.

For small children tablets should be grounded as finely as possible and mixed with small amount of water.

In those with chronic constipation a mild laxative may be given before or after administering the drug.

A second course of niclosamide may be given if proglotides and /or ova persist for 7 - 14 days after treatment.

Adults: 2g

Note: The dose may be given once as a single dose or half the dose first and the other half 1 hour later.

Storage: - At room temperature, in a tight container, away from heat and direct light.

Piperazine
Tablet (Adipate), 300mg
Elixir (Citrate), 500mg/5ml, 622.5mg/5ml, 750mg/5ml, 706mg/5ml, 937.5mg/5ml, 1gm/5ml

Indications: for the treatment of roundworm (Ascaris Lumbricoids) and pinworm (Enterobius) infections.

Cautions: caution in patients with epilepsy, impaired renal or hepatic function, and hypersensitivity. Supportive therapy should be given for anemic, dehydrated or malnourished patients prior to administration of the drug. Treat other members of the family paying attention to personal hygiene.

Drug interactions: chlorpromazine.

Side effects: nausea, vomiting, mild diarrhoea, abdominal cramps, headache, and dizziness may occur occasionally.

Dose and Administration: orally, in constipated patients a purgative should be given to ease expulsion of the worm. A single dose is usually enough to treat roundworms. However, the dose may be repeated in2 days if a patient has large number of roundworms.

Roundworm infection (Ascariasis)-

Adults:3- 4g (30 - 40ml) or 75mg/kg of body weight as a single dose.

Pinworm Infection (Enterobiasis, oxyuriasis)

Adults: 2g (20ml)or 65mg/kg of body weight every 12hours daily for 7 days.

Storage: - at room temperature, insight containers, protected from light.

Pyrantel Pamoate
Tablet, 125mg base
Oral suspension, 250mg base in each 5ml

Indications: - treatment of Ascariasis, enterobiasis (pinworm infection), helminth infection (multiple), hookworm infection

Cautions: - pre-existing liver dysfunction, severe malnutrition or anaemia.

Drug interactions: - piperazine

Side effects: - nausea, vomiting, tenesmus, anorexia, diarrhoea drowsiness, headache, trouble in sleeping, hypersensitivity (skin rash)

Contraindications: - hypersensitivity to the drug

Dose and Administration: -

Usual Adult and Adolescent dose

Ascariasis - oral, 11mg (base) per kg of body weight as a single dose may be repeated in 2 or 3 weeks if required.

Entrobiasis - oral, - 11mg (base) per kg of body weight as a single dose. Repeat in 2 or 3 weeks

Hookworm (infection) oral, 11mg (base) per kg of body weight once a day for three days.

Trichostrongliasis - oral 11mg (base) per kg of body weight as a single dose. Maximum - up to 1 gm (base)

Usual Child dose - children 2 years and over - same as adults

Storage: - at room temperature in a tight, light resistant container.

Thiabendazole
Tablet, 500mg
Oral suspension, 500mg/ml

Indications: - for treatment of strongyloidiasis, cutaneous and visceral larva migrans, dracontiasis, symptoms of trichinosis. It is also used as secondary treatment for threadworm when mixed with above infestations, adjunct in hookworm, whipworm or roundworm (but not suitable for mixed infection involving round worms due to risk of migration). It is not used for prophylactic purpose

Cautions: - hepatic and renal function impairment, in elderly. Discontinue if hypersensitivity reaction occur, correct anemia, dehydration or malnutrition preferably before treatment.

Drug interactions: - theophylline.

Contraindications: - pregnancy, breast-feeding.

Side effects: - anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dizziness, headache, pruritus, drowsiness, hypersensitivity reaction (fever, chills, angioedema, rashes), visual disorder.

Dose and Administration: - Adult -

Cutaneous Larva migrans - oral, 25mg per kg of body weight two times a day for two days.

May be repeated two days after completion of treatment if active lesions are still present.

Visceral Larva migrans - oral, 25mg per kg of body weight 2 times a day for 5-7 days may be repeated in 4 weeks if required

Strongyloidiasis:

- Uncomplicated infection - oral, 25mg per kg of body weight 2 times a day for two days.

- Hyper infection syndrome - oral, 25mg per kg of body weight 2 times a day for 5-7 days may be repeated if required.

Trichinosis - oral, 25mg per kg of body weight two times a day for 2-4 days based on patient response. Maximum - up to 3 grams daily

Child dose - (children 13.6kg of body weight and above) - same as adults dose

Note: - Continue medicines for full time of treatment and take after meals.

Storage: - at room temperature in a tight container