What is albendazole?

• Albendazole is an "antihelmintic," or anti-worm, medication. It prevents worms from growing or multiplying in your body.
• Albendazole is used to treat infections caused by worms such as pork tapeworm and dog tapeworm.
• Albendazole may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about albendazole?

• Do not take albendazole if you are pregnant. Avoid pregnancy for at least 1 month following albendazole therapy.
• Do not take albendazole without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
• You may require a lower dose or special monitoring during therapy if you have liver problems.
• Take albendazole with food to lessen stomach upset.

How should I take albendazole?

• Take albendazole exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water.
• Take albendazole tablets with food to lessen stomach upset.
• Take all of the albendazole that has been prescribed for you even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infection is completely treated. It can take 30 days to 3 months to treat this infection.
• Fasting, laxatives, or purging will not help to cure this infection.
• Store albendazole at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take only your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of this medication.

What happens if I overdose?

• Seek emergency medical attention or call a poison control left near you.

What should I avoid while taking albendazole?

• Do not take albendazole if you are pregnant. Avoid pregnancy for at least 1 month following treatment with albendazole.
• There are no restrictions on foods, beverages, or activities while you are taking albendazole unless your doctor directs otherwise.

What are the possible side effects of albendazole?

• Stop taking albendazole and seek emergency medical attention if you experience an allergic reaction (swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; shortness of breath; closing of your throat; or hives).
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue to take albendazole and talk to your doctor if you experience
  • abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting;
  • headache;
  • dizziness ;or
  • a fever.

What drug(s) may interact with albendazole?

• aminophyline
• caffeine
• carbamazepine
• cimetidine
• clozapine
• dexamethasone
• grapefruit juice
• mexiletine
• olanzapine
• phenobarbital
• phenytoin
• ropinirole
• tacrine
• theophyline
• warfarin

What is the shelf life of the pills?

• The expiry date is mentioned on each blister. It is different for different batches. The shelf life is 2 years from the date of manufacture and would differ from batch to batch depending on when they were manufactured.

Other Useful Information:

Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease.

Replantation: 1. Literally, the act of planting again. 2. In surgery, the restoration of any part of the body to its original site. Also known as reimplantation.

The Chinese surgeon Zhong Wei Chen (1929-2004) was the "father of replantation." Dr. Chen was the first to reattach a severed hand with success which he did in 1963. Dr. Chen also developed many microsurgical procedures including techniques for preserving severed extremities, reattaching amputated fingers and thumbs, reconstructing muscles and repairing nerves and blood vessels.

Rheumatism: Rheumatism is an older term, used to describe any of a number of painful conditions of muscles, tendons, joints, and bones.

Rheumatism conditions have been classified as either localized, regional, or generalized. Localized rheumatism conditions include bursitis and tendinitis. Regional rheumatism conditions include chest wall pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and myofascial pain syndromes. Generalized rheumatism conditions include fibromyalgia.

Another category of rheumatism is psychogenic rheumatism. With this term it is understood that the patient is reporting inconsistent pains of muscles and joints that do not correspond to true anatomy and physiology. The patient is felt to have underlying psychological causes for the symptoms.

Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.

T cell: A type of white blood cell that is of key importance to the immune system and is at the core of adaptive immunity, the system that tailors the body's immune response to specific pathogens. The T cells are like soldiers who search out and destroy the targeted invaders.

Immature T cells (termed T-stem cells) migrate to the thymus gland in the neck, where they mature and differentiate into various types of mature T cells and become active in the immune system in response to a hormone called thymosin and other factors. T-cells that are potentially activated against the body's own tissues are normally killed or changed ("down-regulated") during this maturational process.

There are several different types of mature T cells. Not all of their functions are known. T cells can produce substances called cytokines such as the interleukins which further stimulate the immune response. T-cell activation is measured as a way to assess the health of patients with HIV/AIDS and less frequently in other disorders.

T cell are also known as T lymphocytes. The "T" stands for "thymus" -- the organ in which these cells mature. As opposed to B cells which mature in the bone marrow.

Teleology: The study of the ultimate purpose of the design of something in nature.

For example, "what is the true purpose of the nose?" is a teleological question and, to say that all evolutionary changes occur for a definite purpose is a teleological explanation of evolution.

"Teleology" comes from ancient Greek roots but it (and teleological) did not enter English until the 18th century. It is a compound of the Greek "tele-, telos," meaning "end or purpose" + the ending "logos" meaning "the science or study of" = the study of the ends or purposes.

Testosterone: A "male hormone" -- a sex hormone produced by the testes that encourages the development of male sexual characteristics, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics, and prevents changes in them following castration. Chemically, testosterone is 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one.

Testosterone is the most potent of the naturally occurring androgens. The androgens cause the development of male sex characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard; they also strengthen muscle tone and bone mass.

High levels of testosterone appear to promote good health in men, for example, lowering the risks of high blood pressure and heart attack. High testosterone levels also correlate with risky behavior, however, including increased aggressiveness and smoking, which may cancel out these health benefits.

Testosterone may be given to treat medical conditions, including female (but not male) breast cancer, hypogonadism (low gonadal function) in the male, cryptorchism (nondescent of the testis into the scrotum), and menorrhagia (irregular periods).