Praziquantel

Administration

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

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

See Also

• Schistosomiasis

References

<Epocrates, UpToDate>