Medicines And Drugs Used In Amoebiasis And Other Protozoal Infections

Author: Brain

2008-09-18 Word Count: 511 Category: Medicine

Tinidazole (Tinagyl, Tridazole, Tiniba, Tini)

This is a related drug to metronidazole but has the advantage of a longer duration of action, thus reducing the frequency of intake. The duration of treatment is shorter. Its adverse effects and precautions are similar to metronidazole but the cure rate is higher. It has a few adverse effects like metallic taste and nausea. It is given in a dose of 600 mg, twice a day for 5 days, or 2 g, once a day for 3 days.

Secnidazole

It is effective in a single dose and as a one-day treatment. The adult dose is 2 g (4 tablets of 500 mg each) taken once only.

Ornidazole (Dazolic, Ornida)

This drug works like tinidazole but less disturbance of taste is reported.

Satranidazole (Satrogyl)

It is a longer acting drug and can be taken as a single dose of 2 g (4 tablets of 500 mg each). It does not cause nausea, vomiting and metallic taste.

Diloxanide Furoate (Furamide)

It is an effective drug to kill active organisms in the intestinal lumen and is given along with metronidazole in intestinal disease. Its usefulness in acute amoebiasis with dysentery is doubtful. It is useful in the treatment of asymptomatic cyst passers. Dose for adults is 500 mg, 3 times a day for 5 to 10 days, and for children above 2 years, it is 20 mg/kg for 10 days.

Adverse Effects: The drug is generally well-tolerated. It may cause flatulence, occasional nausea, and itching. It is a drug of choice for mild intestinal and asymptomatic amoeabiasis.

Diiodohydroxyquin (Diodoquin) and Lodochlorhydroxyquinoline (Enteroquinol)

These drugs are useful in the treatment of asymptomatic cyst passers. They act against the amoebae in the intestines but are not effective against acute amoebic dysentery. These drugs are used for eliminating intestinal organisms along with or after a course of metronidazole or tinidazole (preferred regimen). Of these diiodohydroxyquin is preferred because of its relatively less adverse effects. Diiodohydroxyquin may be given in a dose of 600 to 650 mg, 3 times a day after a course of metronidazole or tinidazole. Iodochlorhydroxyquinoline is given in a dose of 250 to 500 mg, 3 times a day, for 1 to 2 weeks.

Adverse Effects: In the dosage mentioned above, occasional adverse like nausea, abdominal cramps, aggravation of iodine-induced pimples, and allergic reactions, such as skin rashes and itching may occur.

Larger doses than recommended may cause SMON SYNDROME (subacute myelo-optico neuropathy), characterized by muscle pain and weakness, specially in the legs, diminished vision leading to blindness due to damage of the nerves of the eye. Although these symptoms regress following discontinuation of the drug, they are not always completely reversible. Such cases occurred mostly in Japan.

Precautions

These drugs should be avoided by patients allergic to iodine or with thyroid disease.

If pain in the muscles or difficulty in vision occurs, doctor must be consulted.

Never use them for prevention of diarrhoea.

Children should not be given these drugs.

These drugs should not be used for more than two weeks.

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