Praziquantel Treats Flukes, Tapeworms & Large Roundworms

This post discusses the important parasite drug praziquantel, the types of parasites it treats, recommended doses, its safety and effectiveness.

The following information is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the necessary measures of your healthcare professional. It is not intended to cure, treat, or mitigate any health condition or disease. It is important that you work with your health care providers and keep them informed of your health journey. 

 

Praziquantel (PZQ) was approved for medical use in the United States in 1982. It is listed as an essential drug by the WHO for the treatment of schistosomiasis which is a group of chronic disorders caused by a small fluke (flatworm) infection that affects over 250 million people.[i] PZQ treats blood, liver and intestinal flukes, but it also treats tapeworms and tapeworm larval cysts, large roundworms and other parasites.

PZQ is usually sold under the brand name Biltricide. It is more cost effective to be treated with generic PZQ from a compounding pharmacy.

The WHO reported that at least 290 million people needed PZQ in 2018.[ii]

Schistosomiasis is considered to be the second most serious parasitic infection in humans. It is widespread in about 78 countries and affects over 240 million people yearly in Africa, Asia, South America and the Caribbean.[iii]

Integrative practitioners state that schistosomiasis is more common in developed countries than known and causes inflammation in the intestines, bladder, liver and other organs. It is believed that these small flukes are the greatest cause of bladder issues, which is common in MS and other diseases.

How Praziquantel Works

PZQ is absorbed and metabolized in the liver and then excreted into the bile where it enters the digestive tract and is exposed to flukes and tapeworm in the small intestine. PZQ is a soap-like substance that damages the protective coating on the surface of the worm, thereby causing the worm’s muscle to contract and paralyze it.

The dying parasite is then dislodged from tissue and destroyed by the immune system.

Dying tapeworms are no longer able to avoid being digested by the body and therefore most tapeworms are not usually visible in the stool when treating with PZQ.”[iv]

PZQ can cross the blood-brain barrier, which is helpful in the treatment of parasitic infections in the central nervous system.

Approximately 80% of praziquantel and its derivatives are excreted via the kidneys within 24 hours of taking a single dose.

The Safety of Praziquantel

PZQ has a high safety record and it is considered to be one of the safest worm parasite drug treatments.[v] Treatment with PZQ is well tolerated with only mild and short-lived adverse effects. Its use is well-tolerated across all age groups when treating Schistosoma.

Its safety for children under the age of four or adults over the age of 65 has not been established. In 2014, it was reported that during the 3 previous years, more than 45.5 million doses of the drug praziquantel were distributed across Yemen to school aged children to tackle schistosomiasis.[vi]

Treating schistosomiasis with PZQ may be associated with Herxheimer-like reactions with sudden inflammatory immune responses believed to be caused by the release of toxins from the flukes. These symptoms occur mostly in severe or acute cases of schistosomiasis and can lead to respiratory failure, brain inflammation and cognitive disfunction. This confirms the importance of the prep phase of the Live Disease Free plan to minimize and even avoid potential Herxheimer reactions.

It’s important that patients with existing medical conditions are monitored while treating parasites, for example if they have cardiac conditions or elevated liver enzymes.

Patients with neurocysticercosis are treated routinely with praziquantel in dosages many times higher than those used in annual programmes for treating schistosomiasis, suggesting that the drug is well tolerated in such individuals.[vii]

However, patients with signs of neurocysticercosis, such as seizures should be monitored closely by their healthcare confessional who may prescribe steroids to avoid a potential life-threatening Herxheimer reaction in the central nervous system.

Side Effects of Praziquantel

It is important to take PZQ with food to decrease the risk of nausea. Implementing the prep-phase of the Live Disease Free plan before treating with PZQ can greatly reduce adverse effects while treating.

Mild adverse effects:

• fatigue
• drowsiness
• headache
• fever
• malaise
• hives, itchy skin
• dizziness, vertigo
• weakness – lack of energy
• abdominal pain
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• muscle aches and pain
• nausea 

Effectiveness and Dosing of Praziquantel

Praziquantel, depending on the type of fluke and the dose given, may not be very effective at treating immature flukes and fluke eggs.

Recommended doses for PZQ vary greatly. Available studies have shown that dosages range from 20 mg per kilogram up to 1000 mg per kilogram in animal studies.[viii]

The pharmaceutical company Bayer recommends 5400 mg PZQ while the WHO recommends 3600 mg PZQ for the same patient suffering from schistosomiasis.[ix]

Researchers claim that the recommended dose for PZQ from the WHO is not effective to completely eradicate schistosomiasis in children or adults and they advocate for much higher doses of PZQ.[x][xi]

PZQ is an essential medication for treating certain parasites. Further research will help practitioners determine the most effective dosages to prescribe so they can help their patients fully recover from specific parasites and the diseases they cause. In time, practitioners will become more aware that parasites are common in their patients and will be more open to use safe and cost effective drugs like PZQ to help their patients improve their quality of life.

There are real solutions to recover from parasites today!

To restore health, we must focus on treating the cause of inflammation, which are parasites. First, identify the enemy (parasites), then support the body and treat the parasites while following a holistic approach. When parasitic infections are treated effectively, we can overcome inflammation or disease.

If you’re frustrated with the fact that our standard of care STILL doesn’t offer a real solution for treating MS and other diseases, then click on the link below to watch Pam Bartha’s free masterclass training and discover REAL solutions that have allowed Pam and many others to live free from MS and other diseases.

CLICK Here to watch Pam’s masterclass training

Or take the Health Blocker Quiz to see if you could have parasite infections

 

 

References:

[i] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8855674/

[ii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8855674/

[iii] https://www.britannica.com/science/schistosomiasis

[iv] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/parasitology/article/abs/antischistosomal-drug-praziquantel-is-an-adenosine-antagonist/B9DABF7591F9024967AD728A3EA1156C

[v] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0166685114000759?via%3Dihub

[vi] https://blogs.worldbank.org/arabvoices/tackling-schistosomiasis-in-yemen

[vii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK578393/#:~:text=Patients%20with%20neurocysticercosis%20are%20treated,well%20tolerated%20in%20such%20individuals.

[viii] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6542381/

[ix] https://www.cell.com/trends/parasitology/pdf/S1471-4922(16)30231-8.pdf

[x] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12662421/

[xi] https://web.archive.org/web/20200927091826id_/https://boris.unibe.ch/115589/1/98-1-18.pdf

https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/151726/update-tackling-schistosomiasis-yemen/

https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/schistosomiasis

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5280090/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Praziquantel#cite_note-WHO2008-3