Anthelmintic Totally Explained

Everything about Antihelmintic totally explained

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).

Classes

Examples of drugs used as anthelmintics include:

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
Octadepsipeptides (eg: Emodepside) – effective against a variety of gastrointestinal helminths

Natural anthelmintics include black walnut (Juglans nigra), wormwood (Artemisia absynthium), clove (Syzygium aromaticum), tansy tea (Tanacetum vulgare), Hagenia (Hagenia abyssinica), kalonji (Nigella sativa) seeds, and the male fern (Dryopteris filix-mas). In Brazilian folk medicine, Plumeria (P. acutifolia or P. rubra) is also an anthelmintic. Peganum harmala is used as an anthelmintic. Please note that many natural vermifuges or anthelmintics are poisonous and, in improper dosages, dangerous to humans as well as parasites.

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 current 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.

Development of resistance

Treatment eliminates worms whose genotype renders them susceptible. Worms that are resistant survive and pass on their "resistance" genes. Resistant worms accumulate and finally treatment failure occurs.

Causes of resistance

Treatment at frequent intervals

Greater than 3 treatments per year
Many farms apply greater than 6 treatments per year

Treating all animals at same time

No refugia for non-resistant worms

Treating and moving to clean pasture

No dilution

Under dosing

Worms with low-level resistance survive. Worms can develop resistance a little at a time.

Further Information

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