Levamisole
Levamisole is an anthelmintic tablet that clears roundworm, hookworm and other gut worms, sold here as Dicaris 50mg tablets in a short single-dose treatment.
What levamisole treats
Levamisole clears worms from the gut. It is an anthelmintic, one of the medicines that remove parasitic worms from the bowel, and it is used in adults and children against roundworm, hookworm and several other intestinal worms. Infections like these are picked up from soil, food or water that carries worm eggs or larvae, and they often show themselves as stomach discomfort, a poor appetite, or worms in the stool. Roundworm is the most familiar target, and hookworm is treated with the same tablet. The worms stay in the bowel, which is why tablets taken by mouth reach them. Here the ingredient is sold as Dicaris, a 50mg tablet. It is not an antibiotic, so it does nothing against the bacteria behind an ordinary stomach upset.
How one dose clears the worms
For these gut worms, treatment is usually a single dose taken with water rather than a course spread over several days. Levamisole acts on the worm itself: it stimulates receptors on the worm's nerve cells, the worm's muscles lock into a contraction they cannot release, and the paralysed worm is carried out of the gut with the stool. The amount given is worked out from body weight rather than a fixed number of tablets for everyone.
Side effects and one serious risk
Headache and dizziness are the effects reported most often, with nausea and stomach pain close behind. The effect to know about is leukoencephalopathy, a condition that damages the white matter of the brain — the nerve fibres that carry signals between its parts. Reported cases have been severe, and one was fatal, with signs that can appear during treatment or after it has finished. Confusion, muscle weakness, clumsiness, or lost speech or vision needs urgent attention. A fall in white blood cells, the cells that fight infection, has also been linked to this medicine. Such cases are uncommon, but this is the most serious risk linked to levamisole.
Ordering Dicaris
The only levamisole on the shop is Dicaris, a 50mg tablet, so the one choice left when you order is the pack size. Tablets stay in their strip until a dose is due. Other worm and parasite treatments are gathered under antiparasitic medicines.
Sources
- About Ascariasis — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Levamisole | Drugs | BNFC | NICE — NICE (BNF for Children)
Where can I order Levamisole for delivery in Hong Kong?
Levamisole can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The product here is generic Dicaris tablets in 50mg. Tracked courier delivery to Hong Kong takes 5 to 9 business days and comes with online tracking.
How much do Levamisole products cost in Hong Kong?
The price depends on the strength and pack size you choose. The Dicaris page shows current prices in HKD or the currency you select.
Do I need a prescription to order Levamisole?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order levamisole. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What are the brand names for levamisole?
Dicaris is a brand name of levamisole. Here, levamisole can be bought online as generic Dicaris. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is Dicaris the same as levamisole?
Yes. Dicaris is the brand name used for the levamisole tablet sold here, and the active ingredient is levamisole 50mg. The name on the packet is a brand rather than a different medicine.
Which worms does levamisole treat?
Levamisole is used against roundworm (Ascaris lumbricoides), the two hookworms (Necator americanus and Ancylostoma duodenale), threadworm (Strongyloides stercoralis) and Trichostrongylus colubriformis. All of them live in the gut, which is why a tablet taken by mouth can reach them.
Can children take levamisole tablets?
Levamisole is used in children as well as adults, and the amount given follows body weight: a small child needs less than a whole 50mg tablet, a heavier person needs more. That is why the dose is worked out for each person instead of being fixed at one tablet.
Does levamisole kill worms or just paralyse them?
It paralyses them. Levamisole stimulates the worm's nerve receptors so its muscles stay locked in a contraction, and the worm can no longer hold on to the gut wall. It then leaves the body with a bowel movement rather than being dissolved inside you.