Albendazole is a medication that has the active ingredient albendazole. It is also known by the brand names Albenza and Zentel. Albendazole is used to treat certain infections caused by worms, including tapeworms and roundworms.
The pricing structure for Albendazole is set between £0.27 and £0.5 for every pills. It’s reflective of the size of the packaging and ingredient concentration (60 or 360 mg).
Albendazole kills parasitic worms. It’s part of the benzimidazole class—works by blocking the parasites’ glucose absorption, which eventually starves them to death.
Doctors prescribe albendazole for various parasitic infections:
There are other parasitic infections it handles too. These are just the main ones.
Albendazole tablets come in 200 mg and 400 mg strengths. There’s also a liquid suspension, usually 100 mg per 5 mL. The liquid works better for children or anyone who struggles with swallowing pills—though honestly, some adults prefer it too.
Neurocysticercosis: Adults typically take 400 mg twice daily; treatment lasts 8 to 30 days depending on severity. Sometimes longer.
Hydatid disease: Usually 400 mg twice daily for 28 days, then a 14-day break where you take nothing, then another 28-day cycle. You might need multiple rounds—your doctor monitors the cysts to see.
Dosing varies based on your specific situation and body weight. Follow your doctor’s instructions, not just what’s written here.
Take albendazole with food. This actually matters—the drug absorbs better when there’s fat in your stomach, so a proper meal (not just a snack) makes a real difference in how well it works.
Swallow tablets whole with water.
If you’re using the suspension, shake the bottle well first; the medication settles at the bottom otherwise.
Albendazole binds to β-tubulin in the parasite’s cells—this stops microtubules from forming. The parasite needs microtubules for basically everything: moving nutrients around, generating energy, maintaining cell structure. Without functional microtubules, the cells fall apart. The parasite dies.
It’s selective for parasite cells over human cells, which is why it works without destroying you in the process.
Your liver processes albendazole aggressively after you swallow it—extensive first-pass metabolism. The main metabolite, albendazole sulphoxide, is actually what does most of the antiparasitic work. Peak levels in your blood happen around 2-5 hours after taking a dose. Maybe longer if you took it on an empty stomach (which, again, you shouldn’t).
Don’t use albendazole if you’re allergic to it or similar drugs.
Don’t use it if you’re pregnant, especially first trimester—it can cause birth defects. If you think you might be pregnant or you’re trying to conceive, tell your doctor before starting treatment. This isn’t negotiable.
Also contraindicated if you have known hypersensitivity to benzimidazole medications.
Most people tolerate it reasonably well. You might experience:
The hair loss freaks people out—I know it sounds alarming—but it usually grows back after treatment ends. Probably not what you want to hear, but it’s temporary.
Rare, but important:
These need immediate medical attention. Stop the medication and contact your doctor straight away if you notice unusual bruising, persistent fatigue that won’t shift, yellowing of skin or eyes, or difficulty breathing.
Some medications change how albendazole works in your system.
These increase albendazole levels:
These decrease effectiveness:
Tell your doctor about everything you’re taking—prescriptions, over-the-counter stuff, supplements. All of it.
Children under 2: Use with caution; their bodies process drugs differently and they’re more prone to side effects.
Elderly patients: Same issue—metabolism changes with age. Dose adjustments might be necessary.
Liver or kidney problems: Your doctor may need to adjust dosing or monitor you more closely. Actually, they definitely should be monitoring you more closely.
If you’re on albendazole for more than a few days, your doctor should check:
Long-term treatment requires more vigilant monitoring. Don’t skip these appointments—they’re not optional, even though they’re a hassle.
Doctors sometimes prescribe albendazole for conditions not officially approved by regulatory agencies—these off-label uses include:
The evidence for these uses varies quite a bit. Some have decent research backing them; others are based on clinical experience and case reports. Your doctor should explain why they’re prescribing it off-label and what to expect—if they don’t, ask.
Pregnancy: Category C in the old classification system. Animal studies showed problems, but we don’t have enough human data to be sure. Avoid it if possible, especially first trimester. If you absolutely need it later in pregnancy, your doctor will weigh risks versus benefits carefully. Hopefully.
Breastfeeding: We don’t know how much passes into breast milk—probably some, but the data’s thin. The safe choice is either stop breastfeeding temporarily or skip the medication. Talk to your doctor about what makes sense for your situation.
Keep tablets at room temperature—20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F). The bottle should stay tightly closed; moisture degrades the medication over time.
Store oral suspension in its original container, away from heat and direct sunlight.
Check the expiration date. If it’s past due or looks discoloured, bin it.
Overdose is uncommon but possible—if it happens:
Call poison control or get to A&E immediately. Bring the medication bottle with you.
They might do gastric lavage (stomach pumping) if you took it recently, or give activated charcoal to prevent more absorption. Supportive care handles most overdose situations—there’s no specific antidote.
Complete the entire treatment even if you feel better halfway through.
This is important: parasites can survive partially completed courses, and the infection might come back worse than before. Also, you’ve already dealt with the side effects—might as well finish the job.
Take it with food. I know I mentioned this already, but people forget and then wonder why it’s not working as well as expected.
You’ll see albendazole sold as Albenza, Eskazole, Zentel, and other names depending on where you are. Generic versions exist and work just as well—they’re cheaper, usually. Sometimes significantly cheaper.
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