• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Interactions

What is albendazole?
Albendazole is an anthelmintic (an-thel-MIN-tik) or anti-worm medication. It prevents newly hatched insect larvae (worms) from growing or multiplying in your body. Albendazole is used to treat certain infections caused by worms such as pork tapeworm and dog tapeworm. Albendazole may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What are the possible side effects of albendazole?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;

• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or

• fever with chills, body aches, or flu-like symptoms.

Less serious side effects may include:

• stomach pain;

• nausea, vomiting;

• headache, dizziness; or

• temporary hair loss.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take albendazole?
Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Albendazole should be taken with food. If you have trouble swallowing an albendazole tablet, you may crush or chew the tablet and then drink a full glass of water to swallow it. Albendazole is sometimes given in a cycle of 4 weeks followed by 2 weeks of not taking the drug. This cycle is usually repeated until a total of 3 cycles have been given.

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What is the most important information I should know about albendazole?
You should not use this medication if you are allergic to albendazole, or to similar medications such as mebendazole (Vermox). Before using albendazole, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have liver disease or have ever had abnormal liver function tests. You should not use albendazole if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using albendazole, and for at least 1 month after your treatment ends.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect albendazole?
Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs: cimetidine (Tagamet, Tagamet HB); dexamethasone (Decadron, Hexadrol); praziquantel (Biltricide); or theophylline (Elixophyllin, Slo-Bid, Theo-Dur, Uniphyl, and others). This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with albendazole. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Albendazole has been assigned to pregnancy category C by the FDA. Animal studies have revealed evidence of teratogenicity (caused embryotoxicity and skeletal malformations) in pregnant rats and rabbits. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. Albendazole is only recommended for use during pregnancy when there are no alternatives and benefit outweighs risk.

Albendazole should not be used in pregnant women except in clinical circumstances where no alternative management is appropriate. Patients should avoid a pregnancy for at least 1 month following cessation of albendazole therapy. If a patient becomes pregnant while taking this drug, albendazole should be discontinued immediately. If pregnancy occurs while taking this drug, the patient should be apprised of the potential hazard to the fetus.

There are no data on the excretion of albendazole into human milk. The manufacturer recommends that caution be used when administering albendazole to nursing women.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of an albendazole overdose are not known.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking albendazole?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to albendazole, or to similar medications such as mebendazole (Vermox). Before using albendazole, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have: liver disease; or if you have ever had abnormal liver function tests. If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication. FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may cause harm to an unborn baby. Do not use albendazole if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant during treatment. Use an effective form of birth control while you are using albendazole, and for at least 1 month after your treatment ends.

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
If you have been diagnosed with a disease for which an antibiotic is needed, you must complete the prescribed course of treatment. Even if you start to feel better, do not skip any doses and remember to take the medication until it is all gone.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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