When you hear Praziquantel, a broad‑spectrum anthelmintic that kills parasitic flatworms. Also known as Biltricide, it is the cornerstone drug for millions of people battling worm infections worldwide.
One of the biggest battles it fights is schistosomiasis, a disease caused by blood flukes that can damage the liver, bladder and intestine. Praziquantel works by disrupting the worm’s calcium channels, leading to rapid muscle contraction and death. This simple action makes it a quick‑acting, affordable option for national deworming programs.
Beyond schistosomiasis, praziquantel is effective against fascioliasis, an infection from the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica. The drug’s ability to target both blood and liver flukes means health workers can use a single tablet to cover multiple diseases in endemic regions. It also clears infections caused by other trematodes like Paragonimus and some cestodes, though for tapeworms doctors often combine it with niclosamide or albendazole.
Because praziquantel belongs to the anthelmintic class, it shares safety profiles with other dewormers such as albendazole and mebendazole. Its low toxicity, short half‑life and oral tablet form make it user‑friendly, even for mass‑treatment campaigns. Still, the World Health Organization warns about emerging resistance in some schistosome populations, so monitoring and rotating drugs when possible is advised.
Practical tips matter. The standard adult dose is 40 mg/kg split into two doses a few hours apart; children receive the same mg/kg calculation. Take the tablets with food to improve absorption. Most side effects—headache, dizziness, mild abdominal cramping— fade within a day. Severe reactions are rare but include allergic rash or liver enzyme spikes, so a quick check‑in after treatment is wise.
In low‑resource settings, praziquantel’s cheap price (often under $0.20 per tablet) drives its inclusion in national health kits. Its inclusion in the WHO’s Essential Medicines List underscores its impact on global health goals, especially the push to eliminate schistosomiasis as a public‑health problem by 2030.
To sum up, praziquantel sits at the crossroads of parasite biology, public health strategy and patient‑level care. It treats schistosomiasis, helps clear fascioliasis, fits within the broader anthelmintic toolbox, and remains a key weapon against drug‑resistant worms.
Below you’ll find a curated set of articles that break down dosing guides, safety checks, resistance monitoring and real‑world case studies—all geared toward getting the most out of praziquantel in your practice or community program.
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