Informational only — Not medical advice. Always consult a licensed healthcare provider.

MedBD
বাং
Community data Updated 2 months ago

Albendazole

Anthelmintic Prescription
Check interactions
🌐 বাংলায় দেখুন

Indications

Helminthiasis

Silben is used to treat single or mixed infestations with hookworm (Ancylostoma, Necator), roundworm (Ascaris), threadworm (Enterobius), whipworm (Trichuris), Strongyloides, tapeworm, Opisthorchis, and hydatid disease.

⚠️ Always consult a registered physician before taking any medicine.

Pharmacology

Albendazole is a broad spectrum anthelmintic that shows vermicidal, ovicidal and larvicidal activity. It is thought to work by blocking glucose uptake in susceptible worms, which depletes their energy stores until the level becomes too low to sustain them. This is followed by immobilization of the parasite. These effects likely result from albendazole and its metabolites binding to and inhibiting parasite tubulin polymerization, though the drug also binds to human tubulin. Albendazole is poorly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and undergoes rapid, extensive first pass metabolism, largely in the liver. Its main metabolite, albendazole sulphoxide, retains anthelmintic activity and has a plasma half life of about 8.5 hours. It is excreted in the urine along with other metabolites.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding

Albendazole falls under FDA pregnancy category C. Because of this, it's best avoided during pregnancy and while breastfeeding, unless a doctor determines that the benefit to the mother clearly outweighs any potential risk to the unborn baby.

⚠️ Talk to your doctor before taking any medicine during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Dosage Reference

⚠️ Reference ranges from official sources only. Consult your doctor for personalized dosing.

Adults: Adults and children over 2 years: 400 mg (1 tablet or 10 ml suspension) as a single dose in cases of Enterobius vermicularis, Trichuris trichiura, Ascaris lumbricoides, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus. In cases of strongyloidiasis or taeniasis, 400 mg (1 tablet or 10 ml suspension) daily should be given for 3 consecutive days. If the patient is not cured on follow-up after three weeks, a second course of treatment is indicated. Children of 1 to 2 years: the recommended dose is a single dose of 200 mg (5 ml suspension). Children under 1 year: not recommended. In hydatid disease (echinococcosis), albendazole is given by mouth with meals in a dose of 400 mg twice daily for 28 days for patients weighing over 60 kg. A dose of 15 mg per kg body weight daily in two divided doses (to a maximum total daily dose of 800 mg) is used for patients weighing less than 60 kg. For cystic echinococcosis, the 28 day course may be repeated after 14 days without treatment, to a total of 3 treatment cycles. For alveolar echinococcosis, cycles of 28 days of treatment followed by 14 days without treatment may need to continue for months or years. In giardiasis, 400 mg (1 tablet or 10 ml suspension) once daily for five days is used.

Side Effects & Interactions

Side Effects

No side-effect data recorded yet.