Niclosamide

Niclosamide (trade name Niclocide) is a teniacide ("tenia-" referring to tapeworm) in the anthelmintic family especially effective against cestodes that infect humans. It is also used as a piscicide.

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It is stressed that while anthelmintics are a drug familiy used to treat worm infections, Niclosamide is used specifically to treat tapeworms and is not effective against worms such as pinworms or roundworms.

It is a chewable tablet taken orally, dosage depending on type of worm and patient's age and/or weight.

Niclosamide molecules are lethal to tapeworms upon contact.

Side effects

The medication can have side effects such as abdominal pain, anorexia, diarrhea, and emesis. Rarely, dizziness, skin rash, drowsiness, perianal itching, and an unpleasant taste.

Mechanism of action

According to an article in Nature,^[1] niclosamide uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in the tapeworm.

References

1. ^ Weinbach EC, Garbus J (1969). "Mechanism of action of reagents that uncouple oxidative phosphorylation". Nature 221 (5185): 1016–8.

• Taber, Clarence Wilbur; Venes, Donald; Thomas, Clayton L. (2001). Taber's cyclopedic medical dictionary. Philadelphia: F.A.Davis Co. 
• Additional Medication Information:Medline
• http://www.drugs.com/cons/Niclosamide.html