Praziquantel

Administration

  • Type: Antiparasitic, anthelmintic
  • Dosage Forms: 600
  • Routes of Administration: Oral
  • Common Trade Names: Biltricide

Adult Dosing

  • Schistosomiasis: 20mg/kg PO tid x1 day
    • Separate doses by 4-6h
    • Give with food
    • Do not crush/chew
  • Liver flukes: 25mg/kg PO tid x1 day
    • Separate doses by 4-6h
  • Cysticercosis: 50mg/kg/day PO divided q8h x14 days
    • Off label use
  • Tapeworms: 5-25mg/kg PO x1
    • Off label use

Pediatric Dosing

Only for children> 4 y/o

  • Schistosomiasis: 20mg/kg PO bid-tid x1 day
  • Liver flukes: 25mg/kg PO tid x1-2 days
  • Cysticercosis: 50mg/kg/day PO divided q8h x14 days
    • Off label use
  • Tape worms: 5-25mg/kg PO x1
    • Off label use

Special Populations

  • Pregnancy Risk Factor B

Renal Dosing

  • No renal dosing defined

Hepatic Dosing

  • Caution advised with Child-Pugh Class B or C

Contraindications

  • Allergy to class/drug
  • ocular schistosomiasis
  • ocular cysticercosis
  • CNS lesions
  • seizure history

Adverse Reactions

Serious

  • Generalized hypersensitivity reaction
  • polyserositis
  • arrhythmias
  • bradycardia
  • ventricular fibrillation
  • AV block
  • diarrhea, bloody
  • seizures
  • Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction

Common

  • malaise
  • headache
  • dizziness
  • abdominal pain/nausea and vomiting

Pharmacology

  • Half-life: 1-1.5hr
  • Metabolism: CYP450
  • Excretion: Urine

Mechanism of Action

  • Increases cell membrane permeability

Comments

See Also

References

<Epocrates, UpToDate>