Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 1991 Jun 1;109(1):73-84.
Effects of albendazole and albendazole sulfoxide on cultures of differentiating rodent embryonic cells.

Whittaker SG, Faustman EM.

Department of Environmental Health, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.

Micromass cell culture systems for rat embryo midbrain (CNS) and limb bud (LB) cells were employed to assess the in vitro developmental toxicity of the human and veterinary anthelmintic albendazole (ABZ) and its sulfoxide metabolite (SOABZ). ABZ is reported to be teratogenic in rats, and is extensively metabolized to the sulfoxide derivative. It has been postulated that SOABZ is the reactive metabolite responsible for albendazole's developmental toxicity and anthelmintic activity in vivo. Three parameters for assessing developmental toxicity were measured: cell growth, differentiation, and cytotoxicity. CNS and LB cultures were equivalent in their sensitivities to both ABZ and SOABZ. ABZ was approximately 50-fold more potent than SOABZ. Immunohistochemical determinations of tubulin organization revealed that both ABZ and its sulfoxide metabolite elicit an accumulation of cells in the mitotic phase of the cell cycle. Since ABZ is one of the most potent agents tested in the micromass system to date, this anthelmintic should be considered a potential developmental toxicant.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2038752&dopt=Abstract albendazole Albenza




Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 1991 Mar;98(3):107-9.
[Use of an albendazole bolus against gastrointestinal nematode infections in first year cattle]

[Article in German]

Schnieder T, Lotze R, Stoye M.

Institut fur Parasitologie, Tierarztlichen Hochschule Hannover.

Thirty first year grazing calves were allocated to two groups of 15 calves each on the basis of bodyweight and were administered albendazole boli or placebo boli, respectively, 30 days after turnout. The albendazole bolus prevented the nematode egg output almost completely for about 4 months, whereas the controls had mean egg counts of up to 206. Pepsinogen concentrations were significantly higher in the control group and reached mean values of 3055 mU tyrosine compared to less than 1000 mU tyrosine in the albendazole treated group after bolus administration. Pasture contamination with trichostrongylid larvae was markedly lower on pastures of the albendazole group than on the controls. Mean weight gains were significantly higher in the albendazole group than in the controls with a difference of 10.7 kg per animal at the end of the season.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2044467&dopt=Abstract albendazole Albenza




Isr J Med Sci. 1991 May;27(5):278-83.
Mass treatment of intestinal parasites among Ethiopian immigrants.

Nahmias J, Greenberg Z, Djerrasi L, Giladi L.

Zevulun Clinic, Kupat Holim, Kiryat Motzkin, Israel.

Intestinal parasites are common among the Ethiopian immigrants to Israel and mass treatment is necessary to prevent local transmission. For this purpose, stool samples obtained from the immigrants in absorption centers were examined. Of 5,412 samples obtained, 4,399 (81.3%) were positive: 2,644 (54.2%) for Necator americanus, 2,273 (46.6%) for Schistosoma mansoni, 990 (20.3%) for Ascaris lumbricoides, 1,040 (21.3%) for Hymenolepsis nana, 940 (19.2%) for Trichuris trichiura, 219 (4.5%) for Strongyloides stercoralis, 17 (0.4%) for Fasciola hepatica, 551 (11.3%) for Giardia lamblia, and 499 (9.2%) for Entamoeba histolytica. The cure rate for necatoriasis by treatment with 400 mg of albendazole was 84.4% (better than with other drugs), either alone or in combination (pyrantel with bephenium or pyrantel with praziquantel, or praziquantel with albendazole). Albendazole, 400 mg for 3 days, cured 92% of the cases of S. stercoralis infection. Praziquantel, 40 mg/kg body weight, in a single dose was effective in 89.7% of cases of S. mansoni, and 60% of cases of H. nana, although a 100% cure rate for H. nana was achieved with praziquantel at a dose of 20 mg/kg per day for 2 days. Two persons infected with F. hepatica were cured by 40 mg/kg praziquantel for 7 days. Tinidazole, 2 g in a single dose, cured 100% of persons infected with G. lamblia, while 60% of persons infected with E. histolytica were cured when treated with 2 g tinidazole for 3 days. Mass treatment of all the immigrants with 400 mg albendazole and 40 mg/kg praziquantel concomitantly resulted in a cure rate of 84.4% of all intestinal worms.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2050509&dopt=Abstract albendazole Albenza




Zhongguo Yao Li Xue Bao. 1990 Nov;11(6):546-9.
[Effect of mebendazole, albendazole and albendazole sulfoxide on glycogen contents of Echinococcus granulosus cysts in infected mice]

[Article in Chinese]

Xiao SH, Yang YQ, Guo HF, Zhang CW, Jiao PY, You JQ, Jiao W.

Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine, Shanghai.

Mice infected with protoscoleces of Echinococcus granulosus for 8-9 months were treated ig with mebendazole (Meb) 50 mg.kg-1.d-1, albendazole (Alb) 300 mg.kg-1.d-1 or albendazole sulfoxide (AlbSO) 150 mg.kg-1.d-1 for 1-7 d. The glycogen contents of cyst wall in each drug groups were 1.0 +/- 0.6 - 1.8 +/- 0.9 mg/g, 1.1 +/- 0.9 - 1.8 +/- 0.8 mg/g and 0.8 +/- 0.5 - 1.5 +/- 0.9 mg/g, respectively, which were less than those 2.2 +/- 1.3 - 2.8 +/- 1.3 mg/g of corresponding control groups with respective glycogen reduction rates of 38-55%, 36-51% and 46-62%. After prolongation of treatment course to 10-14 d, the glycogen contents of cyst wall in Meb and AlbSO groups were further decreased, which resulted in glycogen reduction rates of 73% and 69%, respectively. No further decrease of glycogen contents in Alb groups was seen as the glycogen reduction rates sustained in 32%. Histochemical observation showed that the glycogen contents in germinal layer of the cysts decreased significantly or even disappeared during the treatment of Meb, Alb or AlbSO. The results suggested that the effects of Meb and AlbSO on mice infected with secondary cysts of E granulosus were superior to Alb as evaluated by glycogen reduction rate of cyst wall.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2130620&dopt=Abstract albendazole Albenza




Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg. 1990 May-Jun;84(3):375-9.
Albendazole: a more effective antigiardial agent in vitro than metronidazole or tinidazole.

Meloni BP, Thompson RC, Reynoldson JA, Seville P.

Division of Veterinary Biology, School of Veterinary Studies, Murdoch University, Western Australia.

The effects of albendazole were assessed against Giardia duodenalis in vitro and compared with those of tinidazole and metronidazole. Trophozoite morphology, adherence and viability were markedly affected by albendazole, to a far greater extent than by either metronidazole or tinidazole. The results of this study, and in particular the superior potency of albendazole in vitro, are discussed with respect to its potential value as a new approach to the chemotherapy of giardiasis.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2136253&dopt=Abstract albendazole Albenza




J Infect Dis. 1990 Dec;162(6):1403-7.
Effects of albendazole on Echinococcus multilocularis infection in the Mongolian jird.

Schantz PM, Brandt FH, Dickinson CM, Allen CR, Roberts JM, Eberhard ML.

Division of Parasitic Diseases, Center for Infectious Diseases, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Georgia 30333.

Albendazole chemotherapy of larval Echinococcus multilocularis was studied in the Mongolian jird by administration of medicated feed at various concentrations and durations. The effects were evaluated by comparison of treated and control groups in terms of host mortality, larval metastases to the lungs, and final weight and histologic appearance of larval tissue. Viability of larval tissue at necropsy of each animal was tested by inoculation into two noninfected jirds. Albendazole-medicated feed (0.05%-0.10%) significantly inhibited larval growth. Other effects of the drug included larval degeneration and necrosis, inhibition of protoscolex formation, decreased pulmonary metastases, and reduced mortality of hosts. Adverse effects on the parasite correlated significantly with serum albendazole metabolite levels and duration of therapy. However, serum albendazole levels in jirds equal to or exceeding concentrations achieved in humans receiving daily doses of 10 mg/kg of body weight did not kill the parasite.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2230275&dopt=Abstract albendazole Albenza




J Neurol. 1990 Aug;237(5):279-80.
Dexamethasone increases plasma levels of albendazole.

Jung H, Hurtado M, Medina MT, Sanchez M, Sotelo J.

Laboratories of Neuropharmacology and Neuroimmunology, National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Mexico, D.F.

Therapy of neurocysticercosis with cysticidal drugs is frequently complicated by the exacerbation of symptoms that follows the inflammation triggered by the acute destruction of cysticerci. Treatment of such adverse reactions with dexamethasone is highly effective. However, it has been shown that dexamethasone lowers the plasma levels of praziquantel, thus reducing its cysticidal efficacy. We measured plasma levels of albendazole, another strong cysticidal drug, when dexamethasone was given simultaneously. We found that dexamethasone increased the plasma levels of albendazole by about 50% (P less than 0.002); hence, it seems that cysticercosis and the ensuing inflammation can be treated simultaneously with albendazole and dexamethasone without diminishing the efficacy of the cysticidal drug.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2230841&dopt=Abstract albendazole Albenza