Albendazole
Albendazole 400mg tablets are an anthelmintic (a medicine that kills parasitic worms) used for tapeworm, pinworm and hookworm infections, sold in packs of 30 to 360 tablets.
All strengths and pack prices
| Strength | Pack | Price | Per tablet |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400mg | 30 tablets | $34.80 | $1.16 |
| 400mg | 60 tablets | $46.80 | $0.78 |
| 400mg | 90 tablets | $59.40 | $0.66 |
| 400mg | 120 tablets | $70.80 | $0.59 |
| 400mg | 180 tablets | $91.80 | $0.51 |
| 400mg | 360 tablets | $169.20 | $0.47 |
- Category
- Antiparasitics
- Active ingredient
- Albendazole
- Route
- Oral
- Form
- Tablet
- Strengths
- 400mg
You will receive a quality generic, depending on stock.
Shipped in a discreet, unmarked envelope.
Details
- Conditions
- Tapeworm · Pinworm · Hookworm infections
- Therapeutic Class
- Anthelmintic
- Pharmacological Class
- Benzimidazole carbamate
- Minor Side Effects
- Nausea, headache, abdominal pain
- Moderate Side Effects
- Elevated liver enzymes, alopecia
- Dosage Forms
- Tablet
- Administration Route
- Oral
- Originator
- GSK
- Onset Time
- 1–2 hours
- Duration
- Short-term therapy
- Storage Instructions
- Store at room temperature.
- Drug Interactions
- Dexamethasone, Cimetidine
- Age Restrictions
- Check with pediatrician.
What you will receive
Albendazole is a generic medicine sold under the name of its active ingredient, Albendazole.
- The manufacturer depends on what is in stock when your order ships.
- It contains the same active ingredient, at the same strength, as the brand-name versions.
FAQ
Which Albendazole strengths and pack sizes can I order?
Albendazole comes as 400mg tablets in packs from 30 to 360 tablets. Larger packs cost less per tablet.
Can I track my Albendazole order to Hong Kong?
Tracked courier for Albendazole takes 5 to 9 business days and includes online tracking. Standard airmail takes 14 to 21 business days, up to 30, and is untracked. You can cancel within 24 hours if the order has not yet been dispatched.
Which brand names does albendazole have?
Brand names for albendazole include Albenza and Zentel. Albendazole tablets are a pure generic albendazole product and are not any of those brands. Here, albendazole can also be bought online as generic Albenza.
How long does albendazole treatment last?
It depends on the worm. Pinworm and hookworm often clear with one 400mg tablet, while neurocysticercosis is treated for 8 to 30 days. Cystic hydatid disease runs in 28-day cycles, each followed by a 14-day break, repeated for three cycles in total.
Should I take albendazole with food?
Yes. Take each tablet with a meal, and if the course runs over several days, keep to roughly the same times morning and evening. Food helps the body absorb more of the medicine than an empty stomach does, particularly a meal that contains some fat.
What is the difference between Albendazole and Albenza?
They are the same tablet: albendazole 400mg. Albenza is a brand name for the medicine, and the shop lists the two separately so you can pick the name you know. Neither is a different strength or form.
Can albendazole be taken in pregnancy?
It is avoided in pregnancy, because albendazole can harm a developing baby. Where treatment is needed, it is usually timed for after the birth; pregnancy is also avoided during a course and for three days after the final tablet.
Does albendazole treat roundworm and threadworm too?
Yes. Roundworm, threadworm, whipworm and flukes are all treated with the same 400mg tablet, as are pinworm, hookworm and tapeworm. What changes between them is the number of doses and how long the course lasts, not the tablet itself.
About Albendazole
What albendazole 400mg tablets are for
Albendazole is a worm-killing medicine, and the 400mg tablet is the standard strength. Packs run from 30 up to 360 tablets, so a short course or a long treatment can be covered in one order.
It clears intestinal worms such as pinworm, hookworm, roundworm, threadworm and whipworm. It is also used for tapeworm infections that settle outside the gut: cystic hydatid disease (dog tapeworm cysts in the liver, lungs or the lining of the abdomen) and neurocysticercosis (pork tapeworm cysts in the brain, muscles or eyes). Hydatid disease is treated alongside surgery.
How albendazole kills worms
Worms hold their cells together with tiny protein rods called microtubules. Albendazole blocks the worm's ability to build them, so its cells lose their internal scaffolding and it can no longer take up glucose or run its energy metabolism. Unable to feed or move, the worm dies. Human cells rely on similar rods but are far less affected, which is why a course can clear the infection.
Taking the tablets
For pinworm and most other gut worms, one tablet at a meal is often the whole course. Infections in the liver, lungs or brain are a longer job, with a tablet morning and evening for weeks. Food helps here, since the medicine is absorbed better alongside a meal. Anyone who finds the tablet hard to swallow can chew it, or crush it and take it in a little water.
Side effects and interactions
Most courses pass without much trouble. Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, headache and dizziness are the usual complaints, and long treatment can thin the hair temporarily — it grows back afterwards. A fall in white blood cells is less common; a sore throat, fever, chills or unusual bruising are signs of it and need prompt attention. Seizures, a severe headache or extreme tiredness during treatment for neurocysticercosis also need urgent help.
Cimetidine, a common heartburn medicine, and the steroid dexamethasone both raise the amount of albendazole in the blood. Long courses are usually checked with blood tests for the liver and blood count.
Albendazole or Albenza?
Same medicine, different name. Albenza is a brand of albendazole 400mg in tablet form; both are taken the same way. The albendazole page covers the ingredient and both listings.
Sources
- Albendazole: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus / U.S. National Library of Medicine
- CDC - Parasites — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention