Praziquantel Brand Name– Biltricide
What is Praziquantel
Praziquantel is an oral anthelmintic antiparasitic agent.
Specifically, it is a trematodicide used to treat infections due to all species of Schistosoma (schistosomiasis) and the liver flukes Clonorchis sinensis (clonorchiasis) and Opisthorchis viverrini (opisthorchiasis).
The drug is also effective against several other trematodes (flukes) including Paragonimus westermani.
Praziquantel is also used as an alternative for treating cestode (tapeworm) infections due to Taenia saginata (beef tapeworm), Taenia solium (pork tapeworm), and in combination with benzimidazole drugs (e.g., albendazole) for hydatid cyst disease (larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus).
Praziquantel is an alternative to albendazole for cysticercosis (larval stage T. solium infection). However, praziquantel appears more likely to cause side effects during cysticercosis treatment and, unlike albendazole, is not used if ocular cysticercosis is present.
Most human cases of these parasitic infections in the United States occur in immigrants who were exposed in their countries of origin, or in US travelers visiting global endemic areas.
Indications
- clonorchiasis
- Clonorchis sinensis
- cysticercosis
- Echinococcus granulosus
- Fasciolopsis buski
- Heterophyes heterophyes
- hydatid cyst disease
- Metagonimus yokogawai
- Nanophytetus salmincola
- neurocysticercosis
- opisthorchiasis
- Opisthorchis viverrini
- paragonimiasis
- Paragonimus westermani
- Schistosoma hematobium
- Schistosoma japonicum
- Schistosoma mansoni
- Schistosoma mekongi
- schistosomiasis
- Taenia saginata
- Taenia solium
- taeniasis
Side Effects
- abdominal pain
- anorexia
- arrhythmia exacerbation
- asthenia
- AV block
- bradycardia
- diarrhea
- dizziness
- drowsiness
- elevated hepatic enzymes
- eosinophilia
- fatigue
- fever
- headache
- malaise
- myalgia
- nausea
- pruritus
- rash
- seizures
- urticaria
- ventricular fibrillation
- vertigo
- vomiting
- weakness
Monitoring Parameters
- LFTs
- ophthalmologic exam
- stool exam
Contraindications
- AV block
- bradycardia
- breast-feeding
- cardiac arrhythmias
- driving or operating machinery
- hepatic disease
- pregnancy
- retinal cysticercosis
- seizure disorder
- ventricular fibrillation
Praziquantel is contraindicated in patients with previous praziquantel hypersensitivity or hypersensitivity to any component of the formulation.
Interactions
- Albendazole
- Apalutamide
- Armodafinil
- Atropine; Hyoscyamine; Phenobarbital; Scopolamine
- Belladonna Alkaloids; Ergotamine; Phenobarbital
- Bexarotene
- Bosentan
- Carbamazepine
- Cenobamate
- Chloroquine
- Cimetidine
- Clobazam
- Dabrafenib
- Dasabuvir; Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Deferasirox
- Dexamethasone
- Efavirenz
- Efavirenz; Emtricitabine; Tenofovir
- Efavirenz; Lamivudine; Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate
- Elagolix
- Elagolix; Estradiol; Norethindrone acetate
- Enzalutamide
- Erythromycin
- Erythromycin; Sulfisoxazole
- Eslicarbazepine
- Ethanol
- Etravirine
- Felbamate
- Flutamide
- Fosamprenavir
- Fosphenytoin
- grapefruit juice
- Hydroxychloroquine
- Isoniazid, INH; Pyrazinamide, PZA; Rifampin
- Isoniazid, INH; Rifampin
- Itraconazole
- Ketoconazole
- Lesinurad
- Lesinurad; Allopurinol
- Lopinavir; Ritonavir
- Lorlatinib
- Lumacaftor; Ivacaftor
- Lumacaftor; Ivacaftor
- Mitotane
- Modafinil
- Nafcillin
- Nevirapine
- Ombitasvir; Paritaprevir; Ritonavir
- Omeprazole; Amoxicillin; Rifabutin
- Oritavancin
- Oxcarbazepine
- Perampanel
- Phenobarbital
- Phenytoin
- Primidone
- Quinine
- Rifabutin
- Rifampin
- Rifapentine
- Ritonavir
- St. John’s Wort, Hypericum perforatum
- Telotristat Ethyl
- Vemurafenib
