This document summarizes anti-helminthic drugs used to treat nematodes, trematodes, and cestodes. For nematodes, drugs include mebendazole, ivermectin, and albendazole. Mebendazole is used for pinworm, hookworm, roundworm, and whipworm. Ivermectin treats onchocerciasis. For trematodes, praziquantel is the drug of choice and treats schistosomiasis. For cestodes, niclosamide inhibits energy production and is lethal to the parasite's scolex and segments.

1. ANTI HELMINTHIC
DRUGS

2. CLASSIFICATION:
 Chemotherapy of Nematodes : Ivermectin
Mebendazole
Albendazole
Piperazine
Tetramisole
Diethyl carbamazine citrate
Pyrantel palmoate
Thiabendazole
 Chemotherapy of Trematodes : Praziquantel
 Chemotherapy of Cestodes : Niclosamide

3. NEMATODES:
 Nematodes are elongated round
worms.
 It possess a complete digestive
system i.e, from mouth to anus.
 These nematodes can cause
infections of intestine, blood &
tissues.

4. DRUGS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF
NEMATODES:
MEBENDAZOLE:
 Pin worm (Enterobius vermicularis)
 Hook worm (Nectar americanus)
 Round worm (Ascariasis lumbricoides)
 Whip worm (Trichuris trichuria)

5. MECHANISM OF ACTION:
 Interfere with microtubules
synthesis will leads to stop the
mitosis & also decreases the
glucose uptake.
 Affected parasites are expelled out
from the faeces.

6. ADVERSE EFFECTS:
 Diahorrea.
 Abdominal pain.
CONTRA INDICATIONS:
 In pregnant woman, because it shown
to be embryotoxic & teratogenic in
experimental animals.

7. IVERMECTIN:
 It is the drug of choice which
treats Onchoceriasis (river
blindness) caused by Onchorea
volvulus.
 It is effective against scabies.

8. MECHANISM OF ACTION:
Ivermectin
Targets
GABA receptors of parasite
Chloride ion influx enhanced
Hyper polarization occurs
Paralysis of the worm

9. CONTRA INDICATIONS:
 Patients with MENINGITIS
 Pregnancy
 The killing of microfilaria can results in
Mazotti like reaction

10. TREMATODES:
 These are the leaf shaped flatworms.
 These are called as flukes.
 They are generally characterized by the
tissues they infect.
Eg: Liver, lung, intestinal or blood flukes.

11. DRUGS USED FOR THE TREATMENT
OF TREMATODES:
PRAZIQUANTEL:
 Trematode infections are generally
treated with praziquantel.
 It is a drug of choice to treat
Schistosomiasis & cestode infections
like Cysticercosis.

12. MECHANISM OF ACTION:
 Permeability of the cell
membrane to calcium ion is
increased.
 This leads to contraction and so
paralysis of the parasite occurs.

13. ADVERSE EFFECTS :
 Dizziness
 GI Upset
 Malaise
 Anorexia
 Drowsiness

14. CONTRA INDICATIONS:
 It is not used for pregnant woman.
 It is not used for the treatment of Ocular
cysticercosis since destruction of the
organism in the eye may damage the
organ.

15. CESTODES:
 These are flat, segmented body &
attach to host intestine.
 These are called as True Tapeworms.
 Like Trematodes, the tapeworms lack a
mouth and digestive tract through out
their life cycle.

16. DRUGS USED FOR THE TREATMENT
OF CESTODES:
NICLOSAMIDE:
MECHANISM OF ACTION:
 It inhibits parasites mitochondrial
anaerobic phosphorylation of ADP and
produces energy in the form of ATP.
 This is lethal for the cestode’s scolex
and segments of cestodes but not for
the ova.

17.  A laxative is administered prior to oral
administration of Niclosamide.
 This is done to purge the bowel of all
dead segments in order to preclude
the digestion & liberation of ova, leads
to “Cysticercosis”.
 Alcohol should be avoided within one
day of Niclosamide.

18. THANK YOU…
By
Keerthi.Rangana