Eur J Dermatol. 1999 Jul-Aug;9(5):352-3. Effectiveness of a new therapeutic regimen with albendazole in cutaneous larva migrans.
Veraldi S, Rizzitelli G.
Institute of Dermatological Sciences, IRCCS, University of Milan, Via Pace 9, 20122 Milan, Italy.
Twenty-four (13 males and 11 females) adult Caucasian patients affected by cutaneous larva migrans, characterized by extensive and/or multiple lesions, were treated with oral albendazole according to a new therapeutic regimen (400 mg/day for 7 days). No other topical or systemic drug was used nor any physical treatment. All patients were cured at the end of the therapy. No recurrence was observed. No side effect was either complained of or observed, nor was any laboratory abnormality recorded. On the basis of this study, albendazole is effective in cutaneous larva migrans characterized by extensive and/or multiple lesions. This new therapeutic regimen avoids no response and recurrence, which are not uncommonly observed following shorter (e.g.: 1-5 days) therapies with albendazole. The longer duration of the therapy is not accompanied by the appearance of more severe and/or new side effects or laboratory abnormalities.
Vet Res Commun. 1999 Jun;23(4):229-40. Influence of diet type and pretreatment fasting on the disposition kinetics of albendazole in sheep.
Singh D, Sanyal PK, Swarnkar CP, Khan FA, Bhagwan PS.
Division of Animal Health, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Rajasthan, India.
The influence of the quality and quantity of diets on the disposition kinetics of albendazole were studied in sheep in two different experiments. The plasma concentration profiles of albendazole sulphoxide and albendazole sulphone were measured following intraruminal administration of albendazole at 5.0 mg/ kg body weight in weaner sheep offered three different diets: 100% green Sorghum spp., 100% dry mature Cenchrus ciliaris hay and a 50:50 mix of these two diets. The peak plasma concentrations and the availability of the albendazole metabolites, as measured by the area under the concentration time curve, were significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the animals offered exclusively dry fodder compared to other diets. Changing the diet from dry to green fodder resulted in a significantly lower systemic availability of the drug metabolites. It is suggested that a decreased transit time of the digesta in the bowel on the green diet, with its high water content, limited the systemic availability of the drug by reducing the time available for gastrointestinal absorption. An experiment on the influence of different levels of pretreatment fasting on the pharmacokinetics of albendazole revealed significantly higher (p < 0.05) plasma concentrations of the anthelmintically active sulphoxide metabolite from 12 h onwards following administration of the drug in animals subjected to 24 h of pretreatment fasting compared to other groups with pretreatment fasting of 8, 12 or 18 h. The area under the concentration time curve and the minimum residence time of the drug metabolites were significantly greater (p < 0.05) in animals that had been fasted for 24 h. It is suggested that fasting induces a decrease in the flow of digest
Trop Anim Health Prod. 1999 Aug;31(4):193-204. Comparative anthelmintic activity of strategic sustained low-level administration of albendazole in feed pellets compared to single doses of closantel and tetramisole against natural ovine parasitic gastroenteritis.
Khan FA, Sanyal PK, Swarnkar CP, Singh D, Bhagwan PS.
Division of Animal Health, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Rajasthan, India.
The strategic use of single therapeutic doses of closantel, tetramisole or sustained low-level administration of albendazole in feed pellets in controlling naturally acquired parasitic gastroenteritis in sheep was investigated on a farm in semi-arid Rajasthan, India. A total of 303 5- to 6-month-old sheep were divided into three groups. Two groups were dosed with single therapeutic doses of closantel and tetramisole and the third group was given a low-level medication with albendazole through feed pellets for 30 days. Faecal egg counts revealed significantly lower counts (p<0.001) in the group treated with closantel compared to the other two groups. The faecal egg counts in the group receiving sustained low-level albendazole rose after withdrawal of the medication but remained significantly lower than those in the group treated with tetramisole up to 7 weeks after treatment (p<0.05). On the other hand, in the group treated with tetramisole, the mean faecal egg count rose from 3 weeks after treatment and remained continuously higher than those in any other group up to 12 weeks after treatment. The closantel-treated group gained more body weight but the first six-monthly greasy fleece yield was greater in the group treated with medicated pellets. During the first 3 months of the experiment, three animals in the group treated with tetramisole died of parasitic gastroenteritis. Following sustained low-level administration of albendazole in feed pellets, the plasma disposition curve of both the sulphoxide and sulphone metabolites reached its plateau level by day 5 and remained almost constant therea
J Antimicrob Chemother. 1999 Nov;44(5):653-9. In-vitro activity of rifabutin and albendazole singly and in combination with other clinically used antimicrobial agents against Pneumocystis carinii.
Cirioni O, Giacometti A, Barchiesi F, Fortuna M, Scalise G.
Institute of Infectious Diseases and Public Health, University of Ancona, Italy. cmalinopcsi.unian.it
The in-vitro activity of rifabutin and albendazole alone and in combination with clarithromycin, etoposide, minocycline and pyrimethamine was investigated against four clinical isolates of Pneumocystis carinii. The susceptibility tests were performed by inoculation of the isolates on to cell monolayers and by determining the parasite count after 72 h incubation at 37 degrees C. The culture medium was supplemented with serial dilutions of each agent. Albendazole tested alone was more active than rifabutin. Albendazole suppressed the growth of cysts and trophozoites by >50% at 4 mg/L. Rifabutin, at the same concentration, produced about 40% reduction in the mean cyst and trophozoite counts. Albendazole (4 mg/L) combined with etoposide 4 mg/L showed the highest anti-P. carinii activity, with a decrease of 86.3% and 90.1% in cyst and trophozoite counts, respectively. The greatest synergic interaction was detected when rifabutin (4 mg/L) was combined with clarithromycin (4 mg/L). Our study suggests that clinically used antimicrobial agents may be effective in inhibiting P. carinii growth in vitro and that, above all, some of these agents possess a positive interaction upon combination with other clinically used compounds. These findings may be useful in the establishment of a prophylaxis regimen for multiple opportunistic pathogens.
Am J Gastroenterol. 2000 Jan;95(1):248-54. A new therapeutic approach for the treatment of cystic echinococcosis: percutaneous albendazole sulphoxide injection without reaspiration.
Deger E, Hokelek M, Deger BA, Tutar E, Asil M, Pakdemirli E.
Pamukkale University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Denizli, Turkey.
OBJECTIVE: In this experimental study, the effectiveness of intracystic injection of albendazole sulfoxide solution was investigated as a new approach to percutaneous treatment in liver hydatid disease. METHODS: Ten naturally infected sheep were selected and divided into two groups: a treatment group (n = 7), and a control group (n = 3). Intracystic injection of albendazole sulfoxide was performed in the first group, whereas the control group received intracystic distillated water injection instead. No reaspiration was performed in any group. RESULTS: During the follow-up period of 6 months, serial sonographic examination revealed a significant decrease in the cyst size, progressive solidification, and complete separation of the germinal and the laminated membranes of hydatid cysts from the pericysts in the treatment group. In the control group, diameters and volumes of cysts were increased. All procedures were done without any complications. During the follow-up-period, liver function tests were normal. After 6 months, all sheep were killed and were examined for macroscopic and microscopic changes. Pathological examination showed pericyst hyalinization, inflammatory cells in the cyst wall, degeneration of laminated and germinal membranes, and necrotic material in the cyst cavity. No viable protoscoleces or daughter cysts were observed. CONCLUSION: Albendazole sulfoxide injection as a scolecidal agent in the percutaneous treatment of cystic echinococcosis seems to be effective in this animal model. Further studies are suggested to evaluate the effectiveness of this procedure in human subjects.
Pharm Res. 1999 Dec;16(12):1871-5. Albendazole generics--a comparative in vitro study.
Galia E, Horton J, Dressman JB.
ERWEKA GmbH, Heusenstamm, Germany.
PURPOSE: We sought to determine whether disintegration and dissolution behavior differs among various albendazole generic formulations obtained from third world countries and to compare them with the innovator's product. METHODS: Dissolution behavior of various albendazole formulations was studied with USP Apparatus 2 in SGFsp and in a modified SGFsp which contained 0.1% of the nonionic surfactant Triton X 100. Disintegration was tested according to the European Pharmacopoeia. RESULTS: Dissolution experiments in SGFsp showed a wide range in rate and extent of albendazole dissolution. The innovator product released 81 percent within two hours, a profile matched by only one other formulation. For other formulations 32 to 64% was released within two hours. Use of a modified SGFsp, containing 0.1% Triton X 100 to simulate the surface tension of gastric juice, resulted in less discrimination between products. The innovator product again showed the fastest and most complete dissolution, with ninety percent released within two hours. The generic formulations released between 67 and 82%, except for one formulation which achieved only 43% release. The results in SGFsp plus Triton X 100 may be more meaningful than in SGFsp since the surface tension of the medium is closer to the physiological value. All formulations passed the disintegration test according to the European Pharmacopoeia, with disintegration times ranging from 2.5 to 11 minutes. CONCLUSIONS: Generic albendazole products vary widely in their dissolution behavior. Differences among products were greater in SGFsp than in SGFsp plus Triton X 100. These differences were not reflected in the disintegration behavior of the products.
Hepatogastroenterology. 2000 Jan-Feb;47(31):247-50. The effect of albendazole on the prevention of secondary hydatidosis.
Erzurumlu K, Hokelek M, Gonlusen L, Tas K, Amanvermez R.
Department of General Surgery, OMU Medical School, Samsun, Turkey.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: Secondary hydatidosis and recurrence are serious complications in hydatid surgery. Although medical treatment and current surgical techniques are more effective in the prevention of cyst formation resulting from spillage of cystic liquid, secondary hydatidosis is still surgically important. Albendazole, a derivative of benzoimidazole, is the most commonly used drug in the medical treatment of echinococcosis. The effectiveness of pre-operative prolonged or single dose applications is supported by the literature. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-two cases of hepatic hydatidosis are evaluated and treated by surgery. Perioperative albendazole treatment was given in a dose of 12-15 mg/kg/day in 4 divided doses. The treatment began 5-20 days before the surgery and continued 3-7 months in a cyclic monthly form, until latex agglutination tests were negative. In the postoperative period, hematological, ultrasonography and computed tomography scan evaluation was carried out. The follow-up period for 21 patients was 6-31 months (mean: 20.52 months). RESULTS: There was no secondary hydatidosis, recurrence or mortality in this study. Early and late morbidity rates were 4.54% and 13.63% respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support that perioperative albendazole treatment is effective in the prevention of secondary hydatidosis.
