Broad Spectrum Parasite Tablets

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 21:43

Broad-spectrum parasite preparations

Anthelmintic drugs are used to treat various types of helminthiasis - damage to the body by parasites. These funds can be both universal (broad-spectrum) and selectively acting on any type of helminths. Until recently, the pharmaceutical industry could not offer patients anything for expelling parasites other than preparations based on herbal remedies - male fern extract, henopodium oil (based on the anthelmintic herb plant), extracts from garlic and pumpkin seeds.

Modern tablets against parasites of a wide spectrum of action, created on the basis of the synthesis of chemical compounds, are much more effective, safe, and have high anthelmintic activity. Only an infectious disease doctor, a parasitologist can determine which medicine should be taken in a particular case. In Russian regions, more than 70 species of helminths have been recorded that threaten human health.

The most common are pinworms, roundworms, lamblia (parasites from the family of protozoa that live in the duodenum 12). These infestations are diagnosed in both children and adults. About 10 modern anthelmintic drugs are used to treat the most common parasitic infections.

An absolute contraindication for the use of antiparasitic drugs is pregnancy (with the exception of Piperazine), breastfeeding, viral and intestinal infections, somatic pathologies.

The main groups of parasites:

• Cestodes,
• Nematodes,
• Trematodes.

Parasites from these groups have different properties and different sensitivity to the active substances of drugs. For the optimal selection of drugs against parasites, it is necessary to take into account the type of worms, the patient's age, concomitant diseases, contraindications. The dosage and frequency of admission, the number of required courses of treatment are determined exclusively by the attending physician.

Content:

• Tablets for nematodes and roundworms
• Pills for parasites: cestodes and tapeworms
• Tablets for fluke helminths, flukes, flatworms
• Is it worth taking pills for parasites for prevention?
• Preparations for parasites during pregnancy
• Parasite tablets for children and adults

Tablets for nematodes and roundworms

More often than others, roundworms and pinworms parasitize in the human body. Less common nematodes such as whipworm, toxocara and trichinella.

To expel the nematodes parasitizing in the intestine, the following drugs are used:

• Albendazole (Vormil, Nemozol, Gelmodol-VM) - cost from 120 to 150 rubles;
• Decaris (Levamisole) - cost from 70 to 90 rubles;
• Mebendazole (Vero-Mebendazole, Termox, Vermox, Vermakar, Vormin, Mebex) - cost from 20 to 90 rubles;
• Piperazine - offered by the pharmacy chain for 10-30 rubles;
• Pirantel pamoat (Nemocid, Pirantel, Helmintox, Kombantrin) - cost from 30 to 130 rubles;
• Carbendacim (Medamin).

Diethylcarbamazine (Ditrazine citrate), Ivermectin (Ivermek, Ivomek) are used to expel the nematodes parasitizing outside the gastrointestinal tract.

How to take antiparasitic drugs correctly? The eggs and larvae of most helminths are well protected from the toxic effects of drugs. From their action, adults die, so the next cycle of development of larvae and eggs can lead to self-infection of the patient. This feature of parasitic invasions forces the treatment to be repeated several times. An enema with decoctions of herbs or taking a laxative to completely remove worms can supplement the effect of drugs.

Self-medication with antiparasitic agents is completely unacceptable! The toxicity of drugs obliges to accurately calculate the dose, based on the patient's body weight, to carry out supportive therapy. The expulsion of tape and flat parasites should be carried out only in a hospital environment. With self-medication, it is impossible to check whether the drugs were effective, or a second course is required.

Pills for parasites: cestodes and tapeworms

Cestodes cause a large number of helminthiases - echinococcosis, sparganosis, cysticercosis and teniasis (caused by pork tapeworm), teniarinchiasis, dipylidiosis, teniidosis (caused by bovine tapeworm), alveococcosis, hymenolepiasis (caused by dwarf tapeworm), coenurosis, diphyllobothymus.

Preparations for the expulsion of cestodes:

• Niclosamide (Fenasal) - used against tapeworms that parasitize the intestines;
• Mepacrine (Akrikhin) - is used against all types of tapeworms, lamblia, for the treatment of malaria, cutaneous leishmaniasis;
• Albendazole (Nemozole) - is used against all types of nematodes, mixed parasitic infections, cestodes that live outside the gastrointestinal tract.

Tablets for fluke helminths, flukes, flatworms

Trematodes cause a large number of helminthiasis - clonorchiasis (Chinese fluke), opisthorchiasis (feline fluke), watsoniasis (hepatic fluke), cercariosis, metagonimiasis, schistosomiasis, fascioliasis (hepatic fluke), paragonimiasis (pulmonary fluke), gastrodiscoidosis lanceolate fluke), heterophyiasis, fasciolopsidosis.

Preparations against trematodes:

• Perchlorethylene - used against intestinal trematodes;
• Bithionol, Chloxin - are used against trematodes parasitizing outside the gastrointestinal tract;
• Praziquantel (Cysticide, Biltricid, Cesol, Azinox) - have a wide range of applications, are used against many varieties of parasites.

Is it worth taking pills for parasites for prevention?

If parasites are found in one member of the family, then the other people living with the patient in the same territory must undergo treatment of the parasites. Since preschool children very often turn out to be infected with helminths, and these parasites are transmitted very easily and quickly, parents have a completely natural question as to whether a preventive antiparasitic course should be implemented with a certain time interval. Another argument that parents give in favor of prophylaxis with antiparasitic drugs is the frequency of false-negative results when performing a scraping to detect helminthiasis.

In this matter, experts have not yet come to a consensus. Some scientists believe that prevention is impractical. They indicate that a person drinks the drug today and becomes infected again tomorrow.

Doctors clearly indicate that it is necessary to follow measures to prevent parasitic infestation:

• Strict personal hygiene;
• Washing hands after walking, before eating, after using the toilet and other public places;
• Daily change of underwear (preferably in the morning).

If you follow the above recommendations, then, according to experts, prophylactic pills for parasites are not needed. In addition, they all have a toxic effect on the body, which means they will negatively affect the child's health. However, doctors do not oppose such prevention of parasites as the use of pumpkin seeds or against the use of other folk recipes using garlic.

There is also an opposite point of view. A number of experts insist that every six months the child should receive a prophylactic course of anthelmintic drugs (Pirantel). They explain this need by the fact that the prevalence of pinworms in all preschool educational institutions is wide, and the reliability of diagnostic methods is low. In addition, children are only able to observe the rules of personal hygiene to a more or less full extent by 4-6 years.

If the analysis did not reveal the presence of parasites in the intestines of the child, but he is pursued by night itching in the anus, periodically there are abdominal pain and nausea, then the scraping should be repeated exactly in the morning when the night itching was especially intense. You need to perform the analysis at least 3 times, every other day and after 14 days. Only in this case can one hope to obtain a reliable result.

Prophylactic administration of drugs for parasites is possible for the following indications:

• Frequent contact with the soil (playing in the sandbox, or living in the countryside);
• The presence of pets;
• Accommodation of a child in shelters and orphanages;
• Frequent trips to exotic coasts;
• Passion for hunting, fishing, beach volleyball or football, etc.

Preparations for parasites during pregnancy

Parasites most commonly infect humans with a weakened immune system. The period of waiting for a child is a huge burden for a woman, and helminthiases often choose their body as their target. Drugs against parasites have a teratogenic effect, therefore they are prohibited from using in the 1st trimester of pregnancy. The harm from the activity of helminths is less pronounced than the side effects of this group of drugs.

The only approved drug is Piperazine, which is used only as directed by a doctor.

Piperazine dosage:

• Treatment of ascariasis - 1.5-2 g 2 rubles / day for two days in a row;
• Treatment of enterobiasis - 1.5-2 g for 5 days, after 7 days of a break, the course is repeated.

You can avoid the toxic effect of drugs in the treatment of enterobiasis, if you carefully observe personal hygiene, steam or boiling water underwear.

Personal hygiene rules - prevention of self-infection:

• Disinfection of hands after using the toilet and changing underwear;
• Thorough hand washing before eating, after contact with animals;
• Processing and washing vegetables and fruits, herbs.

Parasite tablets for children and adults

Dekaris

The substance that allows you to fight parasites in the drug Dekaris is levamisole. The drug has an anthelmintic and immunomodulatory effect. With caution, it should be prescribed in childhood, and at a dosage of 150 mg, Dekaris is completely prohibited for children.

Indications: infection with pinworms, roundworms, nekators, hookworms, intestinal eel, whipworm, toxoplasmosis, trichostrongylosis.

Decaris is not prescribed for children under 3 years of age, women during lactation, patients with drug agranulocytosis.

Dosage:

• Adults take a single dose of 150 mg.
• Children from 10 to 20 kg at the age of 3 to 6 years are prescribed 0.5 or a whole tablet of 50 mg.
• Children weighing 20 to 30 kg are prescribed 1 or 1.5 tablets of 50 mg. The child's age is from 6 to 10 years.
• Children weighing from 30 to 40 kg are prescribed 1.5 - 2 tablets of 50 mg once. The child's age is from 10 to 14 years old.

Decaris should be taken after meals with water. A repeated course can be carried out after 14 days.

After taking the drug, side effects may occur, including: sleep disturbances, dyspeptic disorders, headaches, dizziness, convulsions, a feeling of your own heartbeat. After 14-35 days from the moment of taking the drug, the development of encephalopathy and the occurrence of allergic reactions are possible.

Helmintox, Pirantel (base - pyrantel)

The drug is prescribed for noncatorosis, ascariasis, ankylostomiasis, enterobiasis, trichocephalosis. Pirantel can be used to treat ascariasis and enterobiasis in childhood.

Dosage:

• 120 mg for age 0.5 - 2 years;
• 250 mg for ages 2-6 years;
• 500 mg for ages 6-12;
• 750 mg for adults;
• 1 g for those weighing more than 75 kg.

The calculation is based on 10 mg / kg. Pirantel should be taken once a day, in the morning, immediately after breakfast.

After 2-3 weeks, the course should be repeated. If a patient is diagnosed with mixed parasitic invasion, then he is prescribed a drug for three days at a dosage of 10 mg / kg / day or 20 mg / kg / day.

Side effects from taking Pirantel: digestive disorders, poor appetite, skin reactions (urticaria and rash), neurological disorders (headaches, hallucinations, sleep disturbances, hearing impairment, confusion, paresthesia), fever.

Pirantel is contraindicated in case of hypersensitivity to the components of the drug, with myasthenia gravis, with caution you need to take it in case of liver failure. In the form of tablets, Pirantel is not prescribed for children under three years of age.

Wormin and Vermox

The active ingredient in these preparations is mebendazole. The drugs are prescribed for nematodosis, ascariasis, ankylostomiasis, trichocephalosis, trichinosis, teniasis, and for mixed helminthiasis. The drugs are prescribed to patients with echinococcosis if it is not possible to perform an operation.

It is contraindicated to take mebendazole for ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, liver failure, during pregnancy and breastfeeding, under the age of 3 years. Do not combine mebendazole with phenytoin, metronidazole, ritonavir, carbamazepine.

Dosage:

• Adults and children over 3 years of age are prescribed the drug once a day at a dosage of 100 mg to get rid of enterobiasis.
• Adults and children over 3 years of age are prescribed the drug 2 times a day at a dosage of 100 mg to get rid of mixed helminthiasis. The course of treatment is 3 days.
• For the treatment of echinococcosis, adults and children over 14 years of age are prescribed 500 mg of the drug twice a day for three days. Then 500 mg three times per knocking for three more days, followed by 1000-1500 mg three times a day for another three days. The duration of the course can be up to 6 weeks, and sometimes up to 2 years.
• For the treatment of trichinosis, on the first day, 300 mg of the drug is prescribed three times, on the second day, 300 mg 4 times a day, from 3 to 14 days, 500 mg three times a day.
• The whole family should go through therapy. For 3 days, you must take 100 mg of the drug in the morning and evening hours.

Side effects: allergies, neutropenia, dyspeptic disorders, glomerulonephritis, hair loss.

Vormil, Aldazole, Albendazole, Nemozole (albendazole base)

Indications for use are: toxocariasis, nematodes, strongyloidosis, echinococcosis, including extraintestinal forms, giardiasis, combined helminthiasis, neurocysticercosis.

Dosage:

• Treatment of nematodes in children over 2 years of age - 20 ml of suspension once. Adults 400 mg as a single dose.
• Neurocysticercosis requires taking 400 mg of the drug 2 times a day (patient weighs more than 60 kg) or 15 mg / kg / day with a weight of less than 60 kg. The course of treatment is from 8 to 30 days
• Echinococcosis and neurocysticercosis require taking 400 mg of the drug 2 times a day (the patient weighs more than 60 kg) or 15 mg / kg / day with a weight of less than 60 kg. To get rid of the disease, you will need to go through 3 courses, consisting of 28 days. Breaks between courses must be at least 14 days.
• For the treatment of giardiasis in children, a weekly course of treatment with Nemozole is recommended at the rate of 10-15 mg / kg once a day.
• For the treatment of toxocariasis, the drug is taken 2 times a day (for children under 14 years of age, the dosage is 10 mg / kg). For people whose weight is less than 60 kg, 200 mg is prescribed 2 times a day, and for those whose weight exceeds 60 kg, the dosage is 400 mg twice a day. The course of treatment is from 7 to 14 days.
• Vormil and Nemozol are taken with meals.

Albendazole preparations are not prescribed during pregnancy, for retinal diseases, for children under 2 years of age. With caution, drugs of this group should be used for liver diseases and for violations of the hematopoiesis process.

Possible side effects: symptoms of meningitis, headaches, hypertension, nausea, abdominal pain, allergies, renal failure, liver dysfunction, increased body temperature, nausea, agranulocytosis, pancytopenia, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia.

Author of the article: Danilova Tatyana Vyacheslavovna | Infectionist

Education: in 2008 received a diploma in General Medicine (General Medicine) at the Pirogov Russian Research Medical University. Immediately passed an internship and received a diploma of a therapist