Mebendazole Cimetidine

Mebendazole is teratogenic in animals and therefore contraindicated in pregnancy. It should be used with caution in children younger than 2 years of age because of limited experience and rare reports of convulsions in this age group. Plasma levels may be decreased by concomitant use of carbamazepine or phenytoin and increased by cimetidine. Mebendazole should be used with caution in patients with cirrhosis. 

Adebayo GI, Mabadeje AFB. Theophylline disposition — effects of cimetidine, mebendazole and albendazole. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 9ZZ) 2, 341-6,... 

Benzimidazoles (mebendazole or albendazole) have been the most used treatment, but a combination of albendazole plus praziquantel may be more effective than a benzimidazole on its own (Mohamed et at., 1998 Ayles et a/., 2002 El-On, 2003). As cimetidine increases benzimidazole serum concentrations it may enhance their activity (Bekhti and Pirotte, 1987 Wen et ai, 1994). Whilst for some patients chemotherapy is the sole treatment, even where there will be surgical intervention, treatment with benzimidazoles is recommended before surgery (Keshmiri et ai, 2001). A range of doses have been used for treatments of patients but 12-15 mg/kg/day over weeks or months may be best, although an emulsion... 

Bekhti, A. and Pirotte, J. (1987) Cimetidine increases serum mebendazole concentrations. Implications for treatment of hepatic hydatid disease. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 24, 390-392. 

Mebendazole Accidental mebendazole poisoning in infants is associated with convulsions, respiratory arrest, and tachyarrhythmia.181 If administered concomitantly, mebendazole interacts with phenytoin, carbamazepine, and cimetidine. 

MEBENDAZOLE H2 RECEPTOR BLOCKERS-CIMETIDINE t mebendazole levels Inhibition of metabolism Be aware cases where this interaction have been used therapeutically... 

Clinically important, potentially hazardous interactions with adenosine, arformoterol, BCG vaccine, capsicum, carbimazole, cimetidine, ciprofloxacin, clorazepate, cocoa, erythromycin, eucalyptus, fluvoxamine, halothane, influenza vaccines, mebendazole, methylprednisolone, nilutamide, oral contraceptives, prednisolone, prednisone, rasagiline, raspberry leaf, roxithromycin, St John s wort, torasemide, torsemide... 

A study in 8 patients (5 with peptic ulcers and 3 with hydatid cysts) taking mebendazole 1.5 g three times daily found that cimetidine 400 mg three times daily for 30 days raised the maximum plasma mebendazole levels by 48%. The previously unresponsive hepatic hydatid cysts resolved totally. However, a previous study had found smaller increases in serum mebendazole levels with cimetidine 1 g daily in divided doses, which were considered too small to be clinically useful. ... 

It is suggested that the interaction is caused by the enzyme inhibitory ae-tions of cimetidine, which result in a reduetion in the metabolism of albendazole and mebendazole. Cimetidine may also reduee albendazole absorption and minimise inter-patient variability by redueing gastrie aeid-ity, but the reduction in absorption appears to be outweighed by the enzyme-inhibitory effects. 

Bekhti A, Pirotte J. Cimetidine increases serum mebendazole concentrations Implications fa-treatment of hepatic hydatid cysts. Br J Clin Pharmacol 9Z1) 24, 390-2. 

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