Contents
Unwashed fruits or vegetables from the garden, communication with animals, if you do not wash your hands later and touch the food with them, can lead to infection with eggs or larvae of various parasites. Most of these intruders are helminths (parasitic worms) that inhabit the intestines or (more rarely) other parts of the body and parasitize there. Helminths are not only unpleasant, they can cause real harm to the body, causing allergies, digestive disorders, disruption of the internal organs (if they get from the lungs, brain or eyeball, into the muscles).
Of course, it is better to avoid infection with helminths, but this is not always possible. Some parasites can enter the body with food – fish, meat, fresh fruits. In total, more than 20 types of helminthiases are known in our country, they differ in the type of pathogens, and, accordingly, their own, special tablets for worms for humans are needed to eliminate them.
There are three classes of human parasites:
- round helminths (class of nematodes);
- flatworms (trematode class);
- tape parasites (class of cestodes).
For these worms, different types of antiparasitic drugs can be effective, and it is important to first identify the helminth, as well as determine the stage of its development. These can be larvae (when a person is an intermediate host of a worm) or sexually mature individuals (if a definitive host). There are medicines that affect only the larvae, and there are those that are effective for all stages of the parasite. Among the most common parasites are pinworms and roundworms, although there may be a wide tapeworm, various types of tapeworms (dwarf, pork, bovine), as well as hookworms.
Parasites can also be intestinal (live in the small or large intestine) and tissue (infect the liver, kidneys, lungs, or brain). Antiparasitic drugs mainly affect the intestinal forms of worms, tissue is much more difficult to treat.
Rating of the top 5 tablets for worms according to KP
We have selected the most popular and frequently prescribed remedies for the most common parasites – ascariasis and enterobiasis, as well as tape parasites.
1. Nemozol
Available in the form of film-coated tablets, chewable tablets and suspension. The active ingredient in the preparation is albendazole. Released by prescription. It has a wide spectrum of activity against roundworms and tapeworms. The drug is convenient to use, during treatment they do not need a special diet and intake of large amounts of liquid. Depending on which parasite was identified, the course of treatment can last from 3 days to 1 month. With enterobiasis and ascariasis, a single use of the drug is possible.
Two weeks later, a second dose of the drug is required to prevent helminthiasis. By this time, eggs from those parasites that remained during the initial treatment could already hatch. It is important that all family members living with the sick person take the medicine to avoid re-infection. The drug has a pleasant taste, does not cause strong side effects, but it should not be taken on an empty stomach.
People with liver problems should be extremely careful, the drug can be toxic. Plus, it can be difficult to calculate the dose per body weight. Prohibited in pregnant women and children under 6 years of age.
2. Piperazine
The drug in tablets with the active substance piperazine adipinate has activity against roundworms, including pinworms and ascaris. It is indicated for the treatment of both adults and children, it is effective for eliminating only sexually mature individuals, it has no effect on parasite eggs.
After taking the drug, the worms are actively excreted with feces, the course of treatment is 2 days, between taking the pills to enhance the effect, it is recommended to take a laxative or an enema. The drug can be taken with or without food, but not on an empty stomach. The effectiveness of treatment reaches 95%, to completely get rid of parasites, it is recommended to repeat the course after 14 days.
The medicine is used in adults and children from 3 years old, the side effects are not very pronounced, loosening of the stool or intestinal cramps is possible. During treatment, strict adherence to hygiene rules is necessary to prevent re-infection.
3. Pyrantel
The drug is available in the form of tablets and suspensions, dispensed by prescription. The active substance of the drug is pyrantel, effective against round and flatworms. It has a fast and pronounced effect, the course of treatment is from 1 to 3 days. After 2 – 3 weeks, you need to repeat the drug in order to completely destroy the remaining parasites, which by the time of the first dose might not have hatched from the eggs.
The drug is well tolerated, side effects on the part of digestion are minimal. It is taken after meals, does not require laxatives or enemas, let’s say in children from 3 years old. However, the dose of the drug must be calculated strictly according to the weight of the patient, and therefore there may be difficulties with dividing the tablet. This medicine is forbidden to be combined with other anthelmintic drugs, a sharp increase in toxic effects is possible.
4. Vermox
The drug is produced only in tablets, the active substance is mebendazole, it is sold only by prescription. It acts in the intestinal lumen without affecting its walls; it is excreted in the stool and about 10% by the kidneys. It is indicated for the treatment of children from 3 years of age and adults, it is active against roundworms and nematodes, cestodes. Unlike many other drugs, it inhibits the activity of both adult parasites and larvae, but does not affect parasite eggs.
2-4 tablets are taken at once, depending on body weight, the duration of treatment is up to 3 days, so more than 1 pack may be required. When taking the drug, fatty foods, alcohol and laxatives should be avoided. They can increase the toxicity and side effects of the drug.
5. Decaris
Available in tablets in two dosages, released strictly by prescription. The active substance is levamisole, it is active against roundworms, pinworms and hookworms. The drug is acceptable for use by adults and children over 3 years old, for them there are forms in lozenges and capsules. It is important to swallow the drug whole, without chewing or splitting the tablet.
Take the drug once, immediately the entire dose, repeated administration is recommended after 1-2 weeks to consolidate the result. It is dangerous because due to fruit additives it can provoke allergies, other side effects are rare.
How to choose tablets from worms for a person
All drugs against parasites, with rare exceptions, are synthetic drugs. Herbal preparations are less effective and often cannot completely kill all worms in the intestines or tissues. The principle of action of anthelmintic drugs is different, they affect different processes of vital activity of worms or their larvae. Based on this, the doctor, when detecting parasites in the body, selects the best tablets for worms for humans.
There is a group of drugs that:
- disrupt the functioning of the intestines of parasites and lead to their death;
- provoke a blockage of the absorption of nutrients, especially glucose;
- have a paralytic effect and disrupt the metabolism of parasite cells;
- block the nervous system of worms, causing their paralysis and excretion from the body;
- combined means that combine several effects at the same time.
Important! All drugs against parasites are always selected only by a doctor. The drugs are toxic, their dose should be calculated on body weight, and additional therapy should be carried out to prevent complications. This is especially important when a large number of worms are removed at once.
In addition, certain drugs have their own spectrum of action – some are effective against roundworms, others only from flat or tapeworms. There is no universal and safe remedy that would be effective against all known worms.
Popular questions and answers
We asked questions about the choice of drugs against helminths pharmacist, teacher of pharmacology, editor-in-chief of MedCorr Olga Zorina.