Ascaricides are drug

Drug

A drug, broadly speaking, is any substance that, when absorbed into the body of a living organism, alters normal bodily function. There is no single, precise definition, as there are different meanings in drug control law, government regulations, medicine, and colloquial usage.In pharmacology, a...

s to treat ascariasis

Ascariasis

Ascariasis is a human disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. Perhaps as many as one quarter of the world's people are infected, with rates of 45% in Latin America and 95% in parts of Africa. Ascariasis is particularly prevalent in tropical regions and in areas of poor...

 that is caused by infections with parasitic nematode

Nematode

The nematodes or roundworms are the most diverse phylum of pseudocoelomates, and one of the most diverse of all animals. Nematode species are very difficult to distinguish; over 28,000 have been described, of which over 16,000 are parasitic. It has been estimated that the total number of nematode...

s (roundworms) of the genus Ascaris

Ascaris

Ascaris is a genus of parasitic nematode worms known as the "giant intestinal roundworms". One species, A. suum, typically infects pigs, while another, A. lumbricoides, affects human populations, typically in sub-tropical and tropical areas with poor sanitation. A...

(giant intestinal roundworms). The large roundworm of pigs

Large roundworm of pigs

-Introduction:Ascaris suum, also known as large roundworm of pigs, is a parasitic nematode that causes ascariasis in pigs. Until recently it was believed that Ascaris suum could also infect humans; however, it has now been established that humans are affected by a related parasite, Ascaris...

 (Ascaris suum) typically infects pigs

PIGS

PIGS is a four letter acronym that can stand for:* PIGS , Phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis, class S, a human gene* PIGS , the economies of Portugal, Italy , Greece and Spain...

 while Ascaris lumbricoides

Ascaris lumbricoides

Ascaris lumbricoides is the giant roundworm of humans, belonging to the phylum Nematoda. An ascarid nematode, it is responsible for the disease ascariasis in humans, and it is the largest and most common parasitic worm in humans. One-sixth of the human population is estimated to be infected by this...

affects human populations, typically in sub-tropical and tropical areas with poor sanitation.

Common ascaricides include:

• Mebendazole
  Mebendazole
  Mebendazole or MBZ is a benzimidazole drug developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica and marketed as Vermox, Ovex, Antiox, and Pripsen...
  
   (Vermox), causes slow immobilization and death of the worms by selectively and irreversibly blocking uptake of glucose and other nutrients in susceptible adult intestine where helminths dwell. Oral dosage is 100 mg 12 hourly for 3 days.
• Piperazine
  Piperazine
  Piperazine is an organic compound that consists of a six-membered ring containing two opposing nitrogen atoms. Piperazine exists as small alkaline deliquescent crystals with a saline taste....
  
  , a flaccid paralyzing agent that causes a blocking response of ascaris muscle to acetylcholine. The narcotizing effect immobilizes the worm, which prevents migration when treatment is accomplished with weak drugs such as thiabendazole. If used by itself it causes the worm to be passed out in the feces. Dosage is 75 mg/kg (max 3.5 g) as a single oral dose.
• Pyrantel pamoate
  Pyrantel pamoate
  Pyrantel pamoate or Pyrantel Embonate , is used as a deworming agent in the treatment of hookworms and roundworms in domesticated animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, cats, dogs, and many other species. It is a combination of pyrantel and pamoic acid...
  
   (Antiminth, Pin-Rid, Pin-X), depolarizes ganglionic block of nicotinic neuromuscular transmission, resulting in spastic paralysis of the worm. Spastic (tetanic) paralyzing agents, in particular pyrantel pamoate, may induce complete intestinal obstruction in a heavy worm load. Dosage is 11 mg/kg not to exceed 1 g as a single dose.
• Albendazole
  Albendazole
  Albendazole, marketed as Albenza, Eskazole, Zentel and Andazol, is a member of the benzimidazole compounds used as a drug indicated for the treatment of a variety of worm infestations. Although this use is widespread in the United States, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved...
  
  , a broad-spectrum antihelminthic agent that decreases ATP
  Adenosine triphosphate
  Adenosine-5'-triphosphate is a multifunctional nucleoside triphosphate used in cells as a coenzyme. It is often called the "molecular unit of currency" of intracellular energy transfer. ATP transports chemical energy within cells for metabolism...
  
   production in the worm, causing energy depletion, immobilization, and finally death. Dosage is 400 mg given as single oral dose (contraindicated during pregnancy and children under 2 years).
• Thiabendazole
  Thiabendazole
  Tiabendazole is a fungicide and parasiticide.-Fungicide:...
  
  , may cause migration of the worm into the esophagus
  Esophagus
  The esophagus is an organ in vertebrates which consists of a muscular tube through which food passes from the pharynx to the stomach. During swallowing, food passes from the mouth through the pharynx into the esophagus and travels via peristalsis to the stomach...
  
  , so it is usually combined with piperazine.
• Hexylresorcinol
  Hexylresorcinol
  Hexylresorcinol is a chemical compound with anaesthetic, antiseptic and antihelmintic properties.It can be used topically on small skin infections, or as an ingredient in throat lozenges....
  
  , effective in single dose
• Santonin
  Santonin
  Santonin is a drug which was widely used in the past as an anthelminthic, a drug that expels parasitic worms from the body, by either killing or stunning them. Santonin was formerly listed in U.S...
  
  , more toxic than hexylresorcinol
• Oil of chenopodium, more toxic than hexylresorcinol

Native Americans

Indigenous peoples of the Americas

The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...

 have traditionally used epazote

Epazote

Epazote, wormseed, Jesuit's tea, Mexican tea, Paico or Herba Sancti Mariæ is an herb native to Central America, South America, and southern Mexico....

 (Chenopodium ambrisioides) for treatment, which was not as powerful as pharmaceutical compounds, but spontaneous passage of Ascarids provided some proof of efficacy.

See also

• Parasite
• Ascariasis
  Ascariasis
  Ascariasis is a human disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides. Perhaps as many as one quarter of the world's people are infected, with rates of 45% in Latin America and 95% in parts of Africa. Ascariasis is particularly prevalent in tropical regions and in areas of poor...
  
  
• Acaricides, pesticides that kill mites