Oxantel Explained

Oxantel is an anthelmintic. It has typically been used in human and animal medicine as a treatment for intestinal worms.^[1] It has also been shown to inhibit fumarate reductase in some pathogenic bacteria.^[2]

Similarly to pyrantel, oxantel depolarises the neurons of gastrointestinal parasites 100x more than acetylcholine, causing sustained muscular contraction, causing the parasites to die by spastic paralysis. This anthelmintic is commonly used to treat domestic animals as well as livestock, and resistance has been reported in both groups of animals.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Palmeirim MS, Specht S, Scandale I, Gander-Meisterernst I, Chabicovsky M, Keiser J . Preclinical and Clinical Characteristics of the Trichuricidal Drug Oxantel Pamoate and Clinical Development Plans: A Review . Drugs . 81 . 8 . 907–921 . June 2021 . 33929716 . 8144136 . 10.1007/s40265-021-01505-1 .
2. Dashper S, O'Brien-Simpson N, Liu SW, Paolini R, Mitchell H, Walsh K, D'Cruze T, Hoffmann B, Catmull D, Zhu Y, Reynolds E . Oxantel disrupts polymicrobial biofilm development of periodontal pathogens . Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy . 58 . 1 . 378–85 . 2014 . 24165189 . 3910723 . 10.1128/AAC.01375-13 .
3. Kopp SR, Kotze AC, McCarthy JS, Traub RJ, Coleman GT . Pyrantel in small animal medicine: 30 years on . Veterinary Journal . 178 . 2 . 177–184 . November 2008 . 17720556 . 10.1016/j.tvjl.2007.06.021 .