Albendazole is an anthelmintic medication used for the treatment of certain tapeworm infections. This medication is effective in killing sensitive parasites.
Follow the instructions provided by your doctor while taking Albendazole.
Feel free to ask your health care provider any questions you may have about Albendazole.
Store Albendazole in a tightly closed container at room temperature, between 68 and 77 degrees F (20 and 25 degrees C). Keep this medication away from heat, moisture, and light, and do not store it in the bathroom. Keep Albendazole out of the reach of children and pets.
Do NOT use Albendazole if:
Albendazole is a broad-spectrum anthelmintic used worldwide to treat parasitic worm infections. Clinically, it is most recognized for treating tapeworm-related conditions, including neurocysticercosis caused by the pork tapeworm (Taenia solium) and hydatid disease caused by Echinococcus species. It is also used for a range of other helminth infections, such as pinworm, hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, strongyloidiasis, trichinosis, and certain tissue parasites, and is sometimes combined with other agents when multiple parasites are suspected.
Mechanistically, albendazole interferes with the parasite’s cellular architecture by inhibiting polymerization of beta-tubulin, which disrupts microtubule formation. This leads to impaired glucose uptake and energy depletion within the parasite, culminating in immobilization and death. Because its active metabolite (albendazole sulfoxide) is responsible for much of the therapeutic effect, taking the drug with food—especially a fatty meal—significantly improves absorption and efficacy for tissue infections.
Choice of therapy should be guided by the specific parasite, local resistance patterns, disease severity, organ involvement, and the patient’s overall health status. A formal diagnosis and care plan from a qualified clinician are essential for safe and effective treatment.
Always follow the dosing plan provided by your healthcare professional. Treatment courses differ substantially by indication, parasite burden, and patient-specific factors. The following are general principles and examples, not individualized medical advice:
These examples are illustrative. Always verify the correct regimen for the specific infection with your healthcare provider and local guidelines.
Inform your clinician about all medical conditions, including plans for pregnancy or breastfeeding, and all medications, supplements, or herbal products you use. Baseline and periodic monitoring can help detect issues early.
Albendazole’s active metabolite is generated through hepatic metabolism. Several agents can increase or decrease exposure, altering efficacy or side-effect risk:
Always consult your healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication while on albendazole.
Many people tolerate albendazole well, particularly during short courses. When side effects occur, they are usually mild and self-limited. However, serious adverse events, though uncommon, require prompt attention.
Report side effects to your clinician. For multi-week regimens, scheduled labs can help detect issues early and keep treatment on track.
Store albendazole at room temperature, ideally between 20 and 25°C (68–77°F), in a tightly closed container. Protect from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in bathrooms due to humidity. Keep out of reach of children and pets. Do not use tablets past their expiration date, and dispose of unused medication according to local pharmacy or community take-back programs.
Albendazole is often preferred over mebendazole for tissue parasites because of better systemic absorption. For neurocysticercosis, albendazole may be used alone or combined with praziquantel in selected cases under specialist guidance. In filarial infections such as lymphatic filariasis, albendazole is combined with diethylcarbamazine or ivermectin in mass drug administration campaigns according to regional protocols. Choice of agent(s) should reflect local epidemiology and current guidelines.
Albendazole is widely used, but availability and cost can vary by country, formulation, and supply conditions. Generic versions have improved affordability in many regions. If cost is a barrier, consider discussing alternatives, assistance programs, or different pharmacies. Telemedicine services and specialty pharmacies can facilitate access for complex regimens, including scheduled lab monitoring for prolonged therapy.
In the United States, albendazole is generally a prescription-only medication. Federal and state regulations require that a licensed clinician evaluate the patient, determine the indication, and authorize therapy. This framework exists to ensure appropriate diagnosis, dosing, monitoring, and safety—particularly important when treating tissue parasites that may trigger inflammatory reactions during therapy.
For readers seeking structured access pathways, HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Fort Worth offers a legal and structured solution for acquiring Albendazole without a formal prescription, aligning with applicable regulations and patient safety protocols. Patients should verify current eligibility, clinical screening requirements, and any state-specific considerations before purchase. Regardless of how you obtain the medication, consultation with a healthcare professional is strongly recommended to confirm the diagnosis, select the appropriate regimen, and arrange necessary monitoring.
Albendazole is a benzimidazole anthelmintic that kills parasitic worms by binding beta-tubulin and blocking microtubule formation, starving the parasite and disrupting vital cellular processes. It is converted in the liver to albendazole sulfoxide, the active metabolite that reaches tissues and cysts.
It treats many helminth infections, including ascariasis, hookworm, whipworm, pinworm, strongyloidiasis (less effective than ivermectin), some tapeworm infections (Taenia spp.), neurocysticercosis, and hydatid disease (Echinococcus). It is also used in mass deworming programs and as part of combination therapy for lymphatic filariasis.
For tissue infections like hydatid disease or neurocysticercosis, take with a fatty meal to boost absorption of the active metabolite. For simple intestinal worms, some clinicians prefer taking it on an empty stomach to limit systemic absorption and side effects, while others advise taking with food for tolerability—follow your prescriber’s directions.
Examples: ascariasis, hookworm, pinworm—400 mg once (pinworm often repeated in 2 weeks); whipworm—400 mg once daily for 3 days; strongyloidiasis—400 mg daily for 3 days (ivermectin preferred); Taenia tapeworm—400 mg daily for 3 days. Hydatid disease and neurocysticercosis require prolonged, weight-based regimens (often 10–15 mg/kg/day up to 800 mg/day), given in cycles under specialist care.
For intestinal worms, symptoms often improve within a few days, but eggs and larvae can persist, so retreatment or household treatment may be advised. For tissue infections (hydatid disease, neurocysticercosis), therapy spans weeks to months, and response is tracked with imaging and labs.
Short courses commonly cause mild nausea, abdominal pain, headache, dizziness, or transient elevations in liver enzymes. With longer courses, reversible hair thinning, pruritus, rash, and gastrointestinal upset are more frequent.
Seek care for signs of liver injury (fatigue, dark urine, jaundice, right upper abdominal pain), severe rash, fever or sore throat that could signal low white blood cells, easy bruising, or persistent severe headache. In neurocysticercosis, dying parasites can trigger inflammation, seizures, or worsening neurologic symptoms, which is why steroids and antiseizure medicines may be co-prescribed.
For single-dose or very short courses, routine labs are generally not needed. For courses longer than about 14 days, most clinicians monitor baseline and periodic liver function tests and complete blood counts, typically every 2 weeks.
Yes, it is widely used in children; dosing is weight-based and age-dependent. Many programs use 400 mg in children aged 2 years and older; infants 12–23 months may receive 200 mg in some settings—always follow pediatric dosing guidance from a clinician.
In many countries, albendazole requires a prescription; availability varies by region. Over-the-counter alternatives like pyrantel pamoate are used for pinworm in some countries, but spectrum and dosing differ.
No, it treats current infections but does not confer immunity. Hygiene measures—handwashing, trimming nails, footwear, safe food and water, and treating household contacts when recommended—reduce reinfection risk.
Take it as soon as you remember unless it’s close to the next dose; if so, skip the missed dose and resume the regular schedule. Do not double up.
Store at room temperature, away from excess heat and moisture, in the original container, out of reach of children. Check expiration dates and follow any specific pharmacy instructions.
Enzyme inducers like phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and rifampin can reduce active metabolite levels and efficacy. Cimetidine and dexamethasone can increase albendazole sulfoxide levels. Use caution with other hepatotoxic or myelosuppressive drugs and discuss all medicines and supplements with your clinician.
In neurocysticercosis, as parasites die they can provoke inflammation and swelling, triggering headaches or seizures. Corticosteroids and antiepileptics mitigate these reactions and improve safety.
There is no direct disulfiram-like interaction, but both alcohol and albendazole can strain the liver. Avoid alcohol during therapy and for a few days after short courses; for prolonged courses, abstain or limit strictly and follow liver testing as advised.
Albendazole is generally avoided in the first trimester due to potential teratogenicity seen in animals. In some public health settings, a single 400 mg dose may be considered after the first trimester when benefits outweigh risks; decisions should be individualized with a clinician.
Limited data suggest low levels of albendazole metabolites in breast milk and low risk, especially after single-dose therapy. Most experts consider breastfeeding compatible with short courses; monitor the infant for mild GI upset and discuss prolonged courses with your clinician.
Yes, effective contraception is recommended during therapy and for at least 1 month after the last dose due to potential fetal risk. If pregnancy occurs, contact your healthcare provider promptly.
Use with caution or avoid if active liver disease is present. Baseline and frequent liver function monitoring are recommended for any extended course; dose adjustments and alternative therapies may be considered.
Yes, it is often given for several weeks before and after surgery or percutaneous procedures to sterilize cysts, reduce risk of spillage, and lower recurrence rates. Management should be coordinated with surgeons and infectious disease specialists.
Albendazole can cause dizziness or headache in some people. Until you know how you respond, use caution with driving or tasks requiring alertness.
Both are benzimidazoles with similar efficacy for many intestinal nematodes; albendazole tends to have broader tissue penetration and activity against hydatid disease and neurocysticercosis, where mebendazole is not preferred. Choice often depends on availability, indication, dosing convenience, and clinician preference.
Ivermectin is first-line for strongyloidiasis due to higher cure rates and simpler dosing. Albendazole can be used when ivermectin is unavailable or contraindicated but is generally less effective.
For intestinal tapeworms, praziquantel is usually first-line. For neurocysticercosis, albendazole is often preferred (better CSF penetration and evidence), though praziquantel is also effective; regimens depend on cyst number, location, and concomitant steroids.
Both work for pinworm; pyrantel is often available over the counter and well tolerated, while albendazole is prescription in many regions and also highly effective. Regardless of choice, repeat dosing in 2 weeks and treating close contacts plus hygiene measures are key.
Nitazoxanide is an effective option with good tolerability, comparable to metronidazole in many studies. Albendazole can treat giardiasis but usually has slightly lower cure rates; it may be considered when nitroimidazoles are not tolerated or available.
They target different organisms: albendazole treats helminths; metronidazole treats anaerobic bacteria and protozoa (e.g., Giardia, Trichomonas). There is overlap for giardiasis, where metronidazole or tinidazole are common choices and albendazole is an alternative.
Neither alone is universally best; mass drug administration regimens pair albendazole with DEC in some regions or with ivermectin in others, based on local co-endemic infections. DEC is contraindicated where onchocerciasis is present; programmatic guidance dictates the combination.
Triclabendazole is the drug of choice for Fasciola hepatica and Fasciolopsis buski. Albendazole is generally ineffective for fascioliasis and should not be relied on for these flukes.
Niclosamide is effective for noninvasive intestinal tapeworms and is minimally absorbed, resulting in fewer systemic effects. Albendazole is useful when tissue involvement is suspected or for certain larval cestode infections; choice depends on the species and disease location.
Thiabendazole has largely fallen out of favor due to higher toxicity and side effects. Albendazole and ivermectin have replaced it for most indications.
Combination regimens are standard in some settings: albendazole with ivermectin or DEC for lymphatic filariasis elimination, and albendazole with praziquantel as an adjunct in certain hydatid disease protocols. Combinations aim to broaden coverage or enhance efficacy under specialist guidance.
Praziquantel is the treatment of choice for schistosomiasis; albendazole does not treat schistosome flukes. Albendazole may be coadministered in mass campaigns to cover soil-transmitted helminths concurrently.
Moxidectin is used for onchocerciasis and has a role similar to ivermectin in that parasitic disease; albendazole is not effective against Onchocerca microfilariae. Albendazole may be combined with ivermectin (not typically moxidectin) for lymphatic filariasis in some programs.
Written on 2 March, 2023: Laura Jenkins
Re-written on 8 October, 2025: Cristina Matera, MD