Pyrantel
Pyrantel
Medication for parasitic worm infections
Pyrantel is a medication used to treat a number of parasitic worm infections.[2] This includes ascariasis, hookworm infections, enterobiasis (pinworm infection), trichostrongyliasis, and trichinellosis.[2] It is taken by mouth.[2]
Side effects include nausea, headache, dizziness, trouble sleeping, and rash.[2] A lower dose should be used in people with liver disease.[2] While it does not appear to be harmful during pregnancy, it has not been studied for this use.[3] It is unclear if it is safe for use during breastfeeding.[2] It is in the antihelmintic family of medications.[4] It works by paralyzing worms.[4]
Pyrantel was initially described in 1965.[5] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[6] Pyrantel is available as a generic medication.[4] It may also be used to treat worms in a number of other animals.[5]