Description
Pirantel Pharmacodynamics
Pirantel is an anthelmintic agent acting on nematodes.
It causes neuromuscular blockade in helminths sensitive to it, which facilitates their elimination from digestive tract without agitation and stimulation of migration of affected worms.
The drug acts on parasites in the early phase of development and on their mature forms, it has no effect on larvae during their migration in tissues.
Pirantel is effective against infestations caused by pinworms (Enterobius vermicularis), ankylostomes (Ancylostoma doudenale, Necator americanus), trichocephalosis (Trichocephalus trichiurus) and ascariasis (Ascaris lumbricoides).
Indications
Ascaridosis
Enterobiasis
Ankylostomidiasis
Necatoriasis
Trichocephaliasis
Contraindications
Hypersensitivity to pyrantel and other components of the drug;
Myasthenia (period of treatment);
Liver failure;
Simultaneous use with piperazine and levamisole;
Childhood under 3 years of age (for this dosage form).
Caution:
Emaciated patients, anemia.
Pregnancy and lactation:
Use in pregnancy.
There are no controlled studies on the use of pyrantel in pregnant women, so the drug should be used only if the potential benefit to the mother, exceeds the possible risk to the fetus.
Administration during breast-feeding
There are no data about safety of the drug administration in breast-feeding women, therefore, it is necessary to decide on stopping of breast-feeding during the drug therapy.
Directions for use and dosages
- Orally.
- It is taken during or after meals, chewed thoroughly and with 1 glass of water.
- If no other regimen is prescribed, depending on the patient’s age and body weight, the following dosages are recommended:
- Patient age Tablets 250 mg mg
- 3-6 years 1,250
- 6-12 years of age 2,500
- Over 12 years of age and adults up to 75 kg body weight 3,750
- Adults with body weight over 75 kg 4 1,000
- To prevent reinfection it is allowed to repeat the course 3 weeks after the first dose.
- In case of ascariasis and enterobiasis and mixed infestations with these parasites, the dose intended for the whole course (at the rate of – 10 mg/kg) is used once.
- With ankylostomiasis, a combination of necatoriasis with ascariasis or other combined helminthic lesions, pyrantel is used for 3 days at 10 mg/kg per day.
- In massive infestations with Necator americanus the recommended dose is 20 mg/kg body weight for 2 days.
