title: Albendazole as a potential treatment for human hydatidosis.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of albendazole was evaluated in 11 patients with hydatid disease who underwent surgery 12 h after the last dose of drug. Albendazole and its main metabolite, albendazole-sulphoxide, were assayed in the serum from peripheral and portal blood, the liver, bile, lungs, and hydatid cyst walls and fluid. After a 10-14 mg/kg daily oral dose of albendazole, concentrations of 1844 +/- 904 ng/g wet tissue of albendazole-sulphoxide were found in the liver and 749 +/- 34 ng/g wet tissue in the lungs. The level in hydatid cyst fluid was 921 +/- 314 ng/ml. The drug was also excreted through the bile. The same daily oral dose produced very stable blood levels after 2 to 4 days of treatment (600-1000 ng/ml). In another part of the study 3 patients with liver cysts, 2 with peritoneal cysts, and 5 with bone cysts received 7 mg/kg twice a day prophylactically and/or therapeutically for 30 days. In all cases the treatment was repeated several times after intervals of 2 weeks. The 3 patients with liver cysts were cured (probably due to treatment); there was no recurrence in the 2 patients with peritoneal cysts and very slight improvement in the 5 cases with bone cysts. The drug was clinically and biologically extremely well tolerated.
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D015766:Albendazole / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000906:Antibodies / Q000032:analysis; D001562:Benzimidazoles / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004443:Echinococcosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D004444:Echinococcosis, Hepatic / Q000188:drug therapy; D004446:Echinococcus / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011300:Preoperative Care
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D000906:Antibodies; D001562:Benzimidazoles; D015766:Albendazole; C027186:albendazole sulfoxide