IX NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF PEDIATRIC INFECTIOUS DISEASES, CHENNAI, OCT 2006

Anthelmintics are drugs that either kill (vermicide) or expel (vermifuge) infesting helminthes. Helminthiasis is prevalent globally (1/3rd of world population harbors them and is more common in developing countries with poorer personal and environmental hygiene).
The common worm infestations are shown in Fig.1. Multiple infestations in same individual are not infrequent. In human body GIT is a common site of many helminthes, but some also live in tissue, or their larvae migrate into the tissue. They harm the host by depriving him of food, causing blood loss, injury to organs, intestinal or lymphatic obstruction and by secreting toxins. Helminthiasis is rarely fatal but it is a major cause of ill health.

Fig. 1. Percentage of different worm infestations

In developing anthelmintic, the pharmaceutical companies measure newly discovered and promising compounds against an ideal standard. While no anthelmintic discovered yet has met all criteria of an ‘Ideal Anthelmintic’, some of the more recently developed drugs have come quite closer.

The properties of an ideal anthelmintics are

1. Broad spectrum of activity,


2. Non toxic at therapeutic dose,


3. Should possess a wide margin of safety,


4. Metabolism and excretion should be rapid,


5. Administration should be easy and


6. The drug should be cost effective.

Development of resistance has not been a problem in the clinical use of anthelmintics.
Benzimidazole group of drugs are

1. Thiabendazole


2. Mebendazole, and


3. Albendazole

In animals drug is embryotoxic, therefore it is safe to avoid in pregnancy.

Thiabendazole: 25 mg/kg/day in 2 divided doses after meals x 2 days; tablet must chewed.

Mebendazole: Round, hook and whip worms:
<2 year- 100 mg BD x 3 days
> 2 year- 200 mg BD X 3 days

Thread worm: 100 mg single dose, repeat after 3 weeks.

Albendazole: Round, hook and whipworms – 400 mg single dose; Tape worm – 400 mg daily x 3 days; Hydatid disease – 400 mg bd x 4 weeks, repeat 2nd dose after 2 weeks, Neurocysticercosis – 15 mg/kg/day x 28 days with steroids.

Piperazine: Highly active against A lumbricoides and Enterobius vermicularis, 100% cure rate. Now considered as a 2nd choice drug even for these worms. Causes hyperpolarization of Ascaris muscle by GABA agonistic action, opening chloride channel that causes relaxation and depresses responsiveness to contractile action of acetylcholine leading on to flaccid paralysis and worms expelled alive. Parents can literally see the worms being expelled in stools.
Dose : Round Worm : 75 mg/kg/day x 2 days
Whip Worm : 75 mg/kg/day/ 7 days

Nitazoxanide (NTZ): Nitroimidazole, broad spectrum anthelmintic with antiparasitic action.
Mechanism of action : Pyruvate fervedoxin oxidoreductase inhibitor.
Pharmacokinetics : NTZ is partially absorbed from GIT with approximately 1/3^rd of oral dose is excreted in urine and 2/3^rd in feces. In blood, NTZ is immediately metabolized to tizoxanide.
Dose : <4 years 100 mg BD x 3 days, and> 4 years 200 mg BD x 3 days

Pyrantel pamoate (Tetrahydropyrimidine)
Mechanism of action:

+ active
- not active
+/- moderately active

Conclusion:
As far as antibiotics, we mostly use narrow spectrum antibiotics, however for worm infestations broad spectrum anthelmintics is a rational choice.

Ncpid 2006 - Conference Abstracts.Pediatric Oncall [serial online] 2007 [cited 15 April 2007(Supplement 4)];4. Available from:
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