Vermox
Mutagenicity of products generated by the reaction between several antiparasitic drugs and nitrite.

Alba MA, Espinosa J, Cortinas de Nava C.

Instituto de Investigaciones Biomedicas, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico.

Drugs containing secondary aliphatic amines, heterocyclic nitrogen, or secondary aliphatic amido groups (chloroquine, dehydroemetine, mebendazole, and piperazine) and pyrimidine derivatives such as pyrantel pamoate were reacted in vitro with sodium nitrite at pH 3.7 and became mutagenic for Salmonella typhimurium strain TA1535. The products derived from the nitrosation of chloroquine and dehydroemetine required metabolic activation by mammalian hepatic S9 to be mutagenic. The N-nitroso derivatives of mebendazole, piperazine, and pyrantel pamoate were mutagenic with and without S9, although more activity was noted in the presence of S9 with the nitrosated compounds formed from mebendazole and piperazine. Under identical conditions, no mutagenic products were detected from quaternary ammonium salts such as bephenium hydroxynaphthoate or drugs containing tertiary heterocyclic amino groups, such as iodochlorhydroxyquin.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2968243&dopt=Abstract mebendazole Vermox



Vermox
Theophylline disposition--effects of cimetidine, mebendazole and albendazole.

Adebayo GI, Mabadeje AF.

Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Lagos, Nigeria.

On the basis of the report that benzimidazoles bind to and inhibit the hepatic cytochrome P-450 enzyme system, the effect of mebendazole and albendazole on theophylline disposition was studied in 12 volunteers. Mebendazole at a dose of 100 mg b.d. for 3 days did not significantly alter the theophylline half-life, volume of distribution or clearance in a group of six. In another group of six adult volunteers, albendazole (400 mg) pretreatment did not alter the same parameters. However, in this second group, pretreatment with cimetidine (400 mg t.d.s. for 5 days) significantly increased theophylline half life from 7.7 to 9.8 +/- 1.5 h (P less than 0.001) and reduced its clearance from 0.8 to 0.60 +/- 0.1 ml min-1 kg-1 (P less than 0.005). The volume of distribution was not altered significantly. It is concluded that at therapeutic doses it is unlikely that mebendazole or albendazole will induce theophylline toxicity if co-administered with the bronchodilator. Cimetidine-induced impairment of theophylline metabolism is such that toxicity will be more likely in individuals with initial high theophylline clearance.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=2979257&dopt=Abstract mebendazole Vermox



Vermox
[The long-term course of 60 patients with alveolar echinococcosis in continuous therapy with mebendazole (1976-85)]

[Article in German]

Ammann R, Tschudi K, von Ziegler M, Meister F, Cotting J, Eckert J, Witassek F, Freiburghaus A.

Schweizerische Echinokokkose-Studiengruppe (SESG); Universitatsspital Zurich.

Since 1976 60 patients with inoperable alveolar echinococcosis caused by Echinococcus multilocularis were treated with high doses of mebendazole and examined at regular intervals prospectively according to our protocol regarding clinical course, liver function, morphology, immunologically and plasma mebendazole levels. The average duration of disease was 8(1-19) years, the average duration of chemotherapy was 4.25 (0.75-9) years. The long term results showed a correlation of the clinical course with the mean plasma mebendazole levels and the duration of chemotherapy, respectively. Death (n = 5) or transient progression of the disease process (n = 14) was observed primarily in patients with low plasma mebendazole levels in the early course and within the first two years of chemotherapy. Only 9 patients showed a decrease of the parasite mass. Immundiagnosis (total serum IgE and serum antibodies against Echinococcus antigen) gave some information with regard to therapy results, but only in the long-term course. The cumulative survival of the patients under study was 96% at 5 years and 84% at 10 years, respectively which is markedly higher compared to historical control series with a letality of greater than 90% within 10 years.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3148786&dopt=Abstract mebendazole Vermox



Vermox
Mebendazole for worming mice: effectiveness and side effects.

Baskerville M, Wood M, Newton CM.

Chemical Defence Establishment, Salisbury, Wiltshire, UK.

The use of mebendazole-treated diet (60 ppm) effectively controlled Hymenolepis nana and Aspiculuris tetraptera in a large mouse breeding colony. In a 3 generation pilot study using a medicated diet, there was some reduction in litter size and in female growth rate and an overall 2.07% incidence of kinky tails in the offspring. When the whole mouse colony was fed mebendazole-treated diet, a high incidence of kinky tails (maximum 46% of weaned offspring) occurred.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3172708&dopt=Abstract mebendazole Vermox



Vermox
Experimental chemotherapy in horses infected with benzimidazole-resistant small strongyles.

Britt DP, Clarkson MJ.

Faculty of Allied Health Sciences and Nursing, Sulaibikhat, Kuwait.

The presence of benzimidazole-resistant strains of equine small strongyles was confirmed in horses at two properties in north west England by a series of faecal egg counts and larval cultures after treatment with mebendazole. A trail formulation of mebendazole in combination with piperazine citrate gave greater reductions in faecal egg counts than mebendazole alone but was much less effective than pyrantel embonate or dichlorvos.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3176282&dopt=Abstract mebendazole Vermox



Vermox
Comparative efficacy of flubendazole and mebendazole on encysted larvae of Trichinella spiralis (USA strain) in the diaphragm of mice and rats.

Maki J, Yanagisawa T.

Department of Parasitology, Kitasato University School of Medicine, Sagamihara, Japan.

Comparative efficacy of mebendazole and flubendazole, a p-fluor analogue of mebendazole against the encysted larvae of Trichinella spiralis (USA strain) in the diaphragm of mice and rats were studied in order to provide a better understanding of the structure-activity relationship within the benzimidazole series. Drugs given 10-100 mg/kg/day for 3 consecutive days (35-37 days post-infection) or at 300 mg/kg, 35 days post infection were significantly effective in decreasing early encysted larvae in mice. No significant differences in effectiveness against the early encysted larvae could be observed between the drugs under the present experimental conditions. Mebendazole was found to be more effective that flubendazole in decreasing old encysted larvae in mice treated 70-72 days post-infection based on a comparative study of their ED50 values. When rats were given the drugs at the dose of 10 mg/kg/day for 3 consecutive days, mebendazole was significantly effective against both early and old encysted larvae while flubendazole was not.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=3372977&dopt=Abstract mebendazole Vermox