Albenza (albendazole) is a broad spectrum anthelmintic, or anti-worm medication used to treat certain infections caused by worms such as pork tapeworm and dog tapeworm.
Dosing of Albenza varies, depending upon which parasitic infection is being treated.
What Drugs, Substances, or Supplements Interact with Albenza?
Albenza may interact with other medications including antibiotics, cimetidine, dexamethasone, praziquantel, or theophylline. Tell your doctor all medications you are taking.
Albenza During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
During pregnancy, Albenza should be used only when prescribed. It may harm a fetus. Women of child-bearing age should have a negative pregnancy test before starting this medication. If you become pregnant, tell your doctor immediately. It is recommended that men and women use 2 effective forms of birth control (e.g., condoms and birth control pills) while taking Albenza and for 1 month after stopping the medication. It is not known if Albenza passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.
Additional Information
Our Albenza (albendazole) Side Effects Drug Center provides a comprehensive view of available drug information on the potential side effects when taking this medication.
Albenza Consumer Information
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
increased pressure inside the skull--severe headaches, ringing in your ears, dizziness, nausea, vision problems, pain behind your eyes.
Common side effects may include:
headache, neck stiffness, increased sensitivity to light, confusion;
fever;
nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
abnormal liver function tests;
dizziness, spinning sensation; or
temporary hair loss.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
Because clinical trials are conducted under widely varying conditions, adverse reaction rates observed in the clinical trials of a drug cannot be directly compared to rates in the clinical trials of another drug and may not reflect the rates observed in practice.
The adverse reaction profile of ALBENZA differs between hydatid disease and neurocysticercosis. Adverse reactions occurring with a frequency of 1% or greater in either disease are described in Table 2 below.
These symptoms were usually mild and resolved without treatment. Treatment discontinuations were predominantly due to leukopenia (0.7%) or hepatic abnormalities (3.8% in hydatid disease). The following incidence reflects adverse reactions that were reported to be at least possibly or probably related to ALBENZA.
Table 2: Adverse Reaction Incidence 1% or Greater in Hydatid Disease and Neurocysticercosis
Adverse Reaction
Hydatid Disease
Neurocysticercosis
Gastrointestinal
Abdominal Pain
6
0
Nausea
4
6
Vomiting
4
6
General disorders and administration site conditions
Fever
1
0
Investigations
Elevated Hepatic Enzymes
16
less than 1
Nervous system disorders
Dizziness
1
less than 1
Headache
1
11
Meningeal Signs
0
1
Raised Intracranial Pressure
0
2
Vertigo
1
less than 1
Skin and subcutaneous tissue disorders
Reversible Alopecia
2
less than 1
The following adverse events were observed at an incidence of less than 1%:
Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders: There have been reports of leukopenia, granulocytopenia, pancytopenia, agranulocytosis, or thrombocytopenia [see WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS].
Immune System Disorders: Hypersensitivity reactions, including rash and urticaria.
Postmarketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of ALBENZA. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders: Aplastic anemia, bone marrow suppression, neutropenia.
Eye Disorders: Vision blurred.
Gastrointestinal Disorders: Diarrhea.
General System Disorders: Asthenia.
Hepatobiliary Disorders: Elevations of hepatic enzymes, hepatitis, acute liver failure.
Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders: Rhabdomyolysis.
Nervous System Disorders: Somnolence, convulsion.
Renal and Urinary Disorders: Acute renal failure.
Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders: Erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
&Copy; Albenza Patient Information is supplied by Cerner Multum, Inc. and Albenza Consumer information is supplied by First Databank, Inc., used under license and subject to their respective copyrights.
