title: Clinical pharmacokinetics of albendazole in children with neurocysticercosis.
abstract: The pharmacokinetics of albendazole sulphoxide, the main metabolite of albendazole, were studied in eight children with brain cysticercosis. Albendazole was given as a single oral dose of 15 mg per kg body weight (Zentel suspension; Smith Kline & Beecham, Philadelphia, PA). Blood samples were taken during 24 h and analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography. Plasma levels showed great interindividual variation. Maximum plasma levels for albendazole sulphoxide ranged from 0.2-1.0 microg/mL. A double peak was found in four children. The half-life for albendazole sulphoxide was from 2.3-8.3 hours and mean residence time values were from 5. 1-13.6 hours. These values are shorter than those found in adults. The results suggest that when treating children with neurocysticercosis, albendazole should be administered three times a day rather than twice daily as is currently done in Mexico.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, S.S. México.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: González-Astiazarán
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suástegui
authors.forename: D F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: González-Esquivel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015766:Albendazole / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D015766:Albendazole