Anthelmintics or antihelminthics are drugs that expel parasitic worms (helminths) from the body, by either stunning or killing them. They may also be called vermifuges (stunning) or vermicides (killing).

Contents 1 Pharmaceutical classes 2 Natural antihelmintics 3 Anthelmintic resistance 4 References 4.1 Footnotes 4.2 General references 5 External links

[edit] Pharmaceutical classes

Examples of pharmaceuticals used as anthelmintics include:

• Abamectin – effective against most common intestinal worms, except tapeworms, for which Praziquantel is commonly used in conjunction with abamectin
• Albendazole – effective against threadworms, roundworms, whipworms, tapeworms, hookworms
• Diethylcarbamazine – effective against Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, Brugia timori, tropical pulmonary eosinophilia, loiasis
• Mebendazole – effective against pinworms, roundworms and hookworms
• Niclosamide – effective against tapeworms
• Ivermectin – effective against most common intestinal worms (except tapeworms)
• Suramin
• Thiabendazole – effective against roundworms, hookworms
• Pyrantel pamoate – effective against most nematode infections
• Levamisole
• Piperazine family
• Praziquantel – effective against nematodes, some trematodes
• Triclabendazole – effective against liver flukes
• Flubendazole – effective against most intestinal parasites
• Fenbendazole – effective against gastrointestinal parasites
• Octadepsipeptides (eg: Emodepside) – effective against a variety of gastrointestinal helminths
• Amino Acetonitrile derivatives (eg: Monepantel): effective against a variety of gastrointestinal helminths including those resistant to the other drug classes.

Please note that many of these pharameuticals are extremely toxic. Taken in improper dosages they can be dangerous to humans as well as lethal to parasites.

[edit] Natural antihelmintics

Examples of naturally occurring anthelmintics include:

• Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum & Nicotiana rustica)^[1]
• Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) (Micronutrient Powder)
• Black walnut (Juglans nigra)
• wormwood (Artemisia absynthium)
• clove (Syzygium aromaticum)
• tansy tea (Tanacetum vulgare)
• Hagenia (Hagenia abyssinica)
• Garlic (Allium sativum)
• Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
• kalonji (Nigella sativa) seeds
• male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas)
• Plumeria (P. acutifolia or P. rubra) in Brazilian folk medicine.^[2]
• Peganum harmala^[3]

Please note that many natural vermifuges or anthelmintics are poisonous and, in improper dosages, dangerous to humans as well as parasites.

[edit] Anthelmintic resistance

The ability of worms to survive treatments that are generally effective at the recommended dose rate is considered a major threat to the future control of worm parasites of small ruminants and horses.

The clinical definition of resistance is a 95% or less reduction in a "Fecal Egg Count" test.^{[clarification needed]}

Treatment with an antihelminthic drug kills worms whose genotype renders them susceptible to the drug. Worms that are resistant survive and pass on their "resistance" genes. Resistant worms accumulate and finally treatment failure occurs. See drug resistance.

[edit] References

This article includes a list of references, related reading or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (September 2009)

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] General references

• Department of the Army Headquarters (2004). U.S. Army Survival Manual Fm 21-76. Barns & Noble Inc. ISBN 0-7607-4988-4. 

[edit] External links

• MeSH Anthelmintics

v • d • e Pharmacology: Major drug groups Gastrointestinal tract/metabolism (A) stomach acid (Antacids, H2 antagonists, Proton pump inhibitors) • Antiemetics • Laxatives • Antidiarrhoeals/Antipropulsives • Anti-obesity drugs • Anti-diabetics • Vitamins • Dietary minerals Blood and blood forming organs (B) Antithrombotics (Antiplatelets, Anticoagulants, Thrombolytics/fibrinolytics) • Antihemorrhagics (Platelets, Coagulants, Antifibrinolytics) Cardiovascular system (C) cardiac therapy/antianginals (Cardiac glycosides, Antiarrhythmics, Cardiac stimulants) Antihypertensives • Diuretics • Vasodilators • Beta blockers • Calcium channel blockers • renin-angiotensin system (ACE inhibitors, Angiotensin II receptor antagonists, Renin inhibitors) Antihyperlipidemics (Statins, Fibrates, Bile acid sequestrants) Skin (D) Emollients • Cicatrizants • Antipruritics • Antipsoriatics • Medicated dressings Reproductive system (G) Hormonal contraception • Fertility agents • SERMs • Sex hormones Endocrine system (H) Hypothalamic-pituitary hormones • Corticosteroids (Glucocorticoids, Mineralocorticoids) • Sex hormones • Thyroid hormones/Antithyroid agents Infections and infestations (J, P, QI) Antibiotics (Antimycobacterials) • Antifungals • Antivirals • Antiparasitics (Antiprotozoals, Anthelmintics) • Ectoparasiticides • Intravenous immunoglobulin • Vaccines Malignant disease (L01-L02) Anticancer agents (Antimetabolites, Alkylating, Spindle poisons, Antineoplastic, Topoisomerase inhibitors) Immune disease (L03-L04) Immunomodulators (Immunostimulants, Immunosuppressants) Muscles, bones, and joints (M) Anabolic steroids • Anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) • Antirheumatics • Corticosteroids • Muscle relaxants • Bisphosphonates Brain and nervous system (N) Anesthetics (General, Local) • Analgesics • Antimigraines • Anticonvulsants/Mood stabilizers (Lithium pharmacology) • Antiparkinson drugs Psycholeptics (Anxiolytics, Antipsychotics, Hypnotics/Sedatives) • Psychoanaleptics (Antidepressants, Stimulants) Respiratory system (R) Decongestants • Bronchodilators • Cough medicines • H1 antagonists Sensory organs (S) Ophthalmologicals • Otologicals Other ATC (V) Antidotes • Contrast media • Radiopharmaceuticals • Dressings

v • d • e Antiparasitics – Anthelmintics (P02) Antiplatyhelmintic agents Antitrematodals (schistosomicides) Binds tubulin benzimidazole (Triclabendazole#) AI phosphonic acid (Metrifonate) Other/unknown quinoline (Praziquantel#, Oxamniquine#) · phenol (Bithionol) · thiazole (Niridazole) · arylsulfonate (Stibophen) Anticestodals (taeniacides) Binds tubulin benzimidazole (Albendazole#) Other/unknown salicylanilide (Niclosamide)# · aminoacridine (Quinacrine) · butyrophenone (Desaspidin) · chlorophenol (Dichlorophen) Antinematodal agents (macrofilaricides) Binds tubulin benzimidazole (Mebendazole#, Thiabendazole, Albendazole#, Fenbendazole, Ciclobendazole, Flubendazole) Chloride channel macrolide (Ivermectin#) NMDA tetrahydropyrimidine (Pyrantel#, Pyrantel pamoate, Oxantel) Other/unknown piperazine (Piperazine · Diethylcarbamazine#) · thiazole (Levamisole#) · quinolinium (Pyrvinium) · benzylammonium (Bephenium) · naphthalenesulfonate (Suramin#)  · Tribendimidine #WHO-EM. ‡Withdrawn from market. CLINICAL TRIALS: †Phase III. §Never to phase III see also diseases

This pharmacology-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e