Methenamine is Mandelamine. This has been around forever. It liberates formaldehyde in an acid urine.
Anthelmintics. Pyrantel pamoate and mebendazole, Anamenth and Vermox all are useful in most of the common infestations that we have. I would point out that that the pyrantel pamoate is available over the counter. You don’t have to write a prescription for that if you don’t want to.
Albendazole is a newer antiparasitic drug that has been marketed. This is Albenda. Again, it is useful in pinworm and most of the common infections. It is suggested that it be given with a fatty meal to enhance absorption. In animal studies, though, it has been hepatotoxic and it’s also suggested that it may be teratogenic. So I think probably most clinicians are sticking with the old standbys that we’ve had around forever.
Metronidazole is Flagyl. We’ve mentioned the use of this particular product in pseudomembranous colitis. It’s useful in intestinal amebiasis, vaginal infections. It is the drug of choice for Giardiasis. It also can be used for GI strains of bacteroides or anaerobes. In fact, Flagyl or metronidazole, in many circles, is considered the drug of choice for anaerobe prophylaxis and treatment because it is fairly nontoxic and it is less expensive than things like cefoxitin or clindamycin.
Its toxicities include nausea, headache, a metallic taste in the mouth and a disulfiram or Antabuse-like reaction with alcohol. There have been claims in the past that this drug is carcinogenic. It is not. There is no proven history of any tumor formation in humans with this product. It probably should be avoided during the first trimester of pregnancy but after that it is probably a safe drug to use.
Canadian Pharmacy Antibiotics
Pediculicides and scabicides, again, are a controversial area. Lindane or Kwell is being roundly criticized as it well should be. This was used for many years as the routine pediculicide of choice. People tended to think that you drowned it with Kwell rather than just using it sparingly. It’s now been shown that this fairly readily absorbed, can get into the brain and may have neurotoxic effects if it’s overused.
Recent Comments