Mebendazole 100mg chewable tablets sugar free

Abstract Background Soil-transmitted helminthic (STH) infections are the leading cause of stunting among children. To lessen the burden, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended a periodic deworming program through the use of single-dose therapy in the endemic regions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to synthesize evidence about the efficacy of anthelminthic drugs against STH infections among preschool and school-age children. Methods The Preferred Reposting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria were followed in this study. Relevant electronic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Embase, DOAJ, Science Direct, the WHO Clinical Trials.gov library, Google Scholar, and AJOL databases, were searched for relevant publications. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-randomized interventional studies focused on the efficacy of albendazole and mebendazole against STHs in children were included in the study. Review Manager was used to analyze the data. A random effects model was used to obtain the pooled estimated efficacy. To evaluate heterogeneity, the I 2 test and Cochrane Q (χ 2 ) were employed. The risk of publication bias was investigated using Egger’s test and the funnel plot. The protocol of this review was registered at the PROSPERO international prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42023401196). Results Of the 69 publications selected for the systematic review, 66 with complete data were included in the meta-analysis. Single doses of albendazole and mebendazole have shown satisfactory efficacy [egg reduction rate (ERR)] against Ascaris lumbricoides [95.54% (95% CI: 88.75–102.34%) and 98.69% (95% CI: 97.68–99.65%), respectively. The effectiveness of these two drugs against Trichuris trichiura and hookworms was comparatively low (< 80% ERR), except for albendazole, which showed high ERRs [93.44% (95%CI: 92.39–94.49%)] against hookworms. The cure rate (CR) of albendazole against T. trichiura , A. lumbricoides , and hookworms were 50.8%, 91.3%, and 78.32%, respectively. Likewise, mebendazole showed CRs of 48.15%, 92.8%, and 49.32% against T. trichiura , A. lumbricoides , and hookworms, respectively. Subgroups such as studies conducted after 2000, diagnostic type (McMaster), and longer follow-up weeks significantly reduced the efficacy of the two drugs against T. trichura . While the combination of albendazole or mebendazole with other drugs and RCT showed significantly improved efficacy against T. trichura. The count of eggs per gram of stool (EPG) was identified as one of the variables that negatively and significantly influenced the efficacy of albendazole or mebendazole against A. lumbricoides . Conclusion Despite the wide range of ERRs and CR reported in the different articles included in this review, the pooled estimated efficacy of albendazole and mebendazole against STHs falls in the satisfactory category of WHO recommendations. Further evaluation of the combination of anthelminthic drugs as a preventive chemotherapy option and routine drug efficacy testing are necessary to prevent the emergence and widespread use of drug-resistant STHs.

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AIM: Mebendazole (MBZ), a benzimidazole anthelmintic with established clinical use, has emerged as a repurposing candidate for primary brain tumours due to its multimodal anticancer actions and central nervous system penetrance. This systematic review synthesizes preclinical and clinical evidence evaluating MBZ's efficacy, mechanisms of action and translational relevance. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. Systematic searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, SCOPUS and Web of Science using predefined eligibility criteria. A total of 22 studies were included (17 preclinical and five clinical/population). RESULTS: Preclinical work across glioblastoma, diffuse midline glioma, medulloblastoma and meningioma demonstrates consistent tumour growth suppression and survival extension via microtubule depolymerization, kinase inhibition, angiogenesis blockade, Hedgehog pathway interference, apoptosis/pyroptosis induction and impairment of DNA repair. MBZ also potentiates standard therapies, enhancing the effects of alkylators, radiotherapy and autophagy inhibitors. Efficacy was influenced by formulation, with polymorph C demonstrating superior brain penetration and tolerability. Additional delivery strategies, including efflux inhibition, intranasal microemulsions and nanosuspensions, further improved exposure. Clinically, MBZ was generally tolerable at high oral doses in early-phase studies, but evidence of efficacy remained modest, inconsistent and inconclusive. CONCLUSION: MBZ shows broad preclinical anticancer activity and acceptable tolerability in early human studies, but current clinical evidence does not demonstrate meaningful efficacy in brain tumour patients. Further well-designed comparative trials with clear formulation reporting and integrated pharmacokinetic and biomarker analyses are needed.

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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the urgent exploration of therapeutic options, including drug repurposing. Anthelmintic drugs such as ivermectin and mebendazole have garnered interest due to their potential antiviral and immunomodulatory properties. However, conflicting evidence from randomized clinical trials (RCTs) necessitates a comprehensive meta-analysis to determine their efficacy and safety in COVID-19 management. Objective: This meta-analysis evaluates the clinical efficacy of ivermectin and mebendazole in treating COVID-19 by analyzing their impact on viral clearance, symptom resolution, hospitalization duration, and safety profiles. Methods: A systematic search of Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to identify RCTs published up to February 2025. Eligible studies included adult patients with confirmed COVID-19 who received ivermectin or mebendazole compared with a placebo or standard of care. Data extraction and risk of bias assessment were performed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Statistical heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 statistic, and pooled effect sizes were calculated for primary clinical outcomes. Results: Twenty-three RCTs (n = 12,345) were included, with twenty-one studies on ivermectin and two on mebendazole. The pooled analysis suggested no statistically significant improvement in viral clearance (p = 0.39), hospitalization duration (p = 0.15), or symptom resolution (p = 0.08) with ivermectin or mebendazole. However, individual studies indicated potential benefits, particularly for mebendazole, in reducing viral load and inflammation. Both drugs exhibited favorable safety profiles, with no significant increase in adverse events. Conclusions: The promising propensities observed in selected studies underscore the potential of ivermectin and mebendazole as adjunct therapies for COVID-19. With well-established safety profiles, immunomodulatory effects, and affordability, these drugs present strong candidates for further exploration. Advancing research through well-designed, large-scale RCTs will help unlock their full therapeutic potential and expand treatment options in the fight against COVID-19.

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BACKGROUND/AIM: Drug repurposing offers a pathway to identify accessible, low-toxicity cancer therapies. Ivermectin and mebendazole demonstrate multi-target anticancer activity in preclinical models. This study evaluates real-world patient-reported outcomes, safety, and adherence in patients with cancer using this combination. PATIENTS AND METHODS: a U.S. telemedicine platform. Participants received compounded capsules (25 mg ivermectin, 250 mg mebendazole). Data were collected through standardized digital surveys at baseline and 6-month follow-up. A total of 122 participants (61.9%) completed follow-up. Primary outcomes included self-reported cancer status, adherence, and adverse events. Confidence intervals were calculated using the Wilson method, with dose-stratified analyses using Chi-square tests. RESULTS: The cohort had a mean age of 67 years with balanced sex distribution and diverse malignancies, most commonly prostate (27.9%) and breast (18.3%). Median time since diagnosis was 1.2 years, with 37.1% reporting active progression at baseline. At six months, adherence was high, with 86.9% completing the initial prescription and 66.4% remaining on therapy. The Clinical Benefit Ratio (CBR) was 84.4% (95% confidence interval=77.0-89.8%). At follow-up, 48.4% of participants reported tumor regression or no evidence of disease (32.8% NED; 15.6% regression), while 36.1% reported stable disease and 15.6% reported progression. Side effects, reported by 25.4%, were dose-dependent and predominantly mild and primarily gastrointestinal, with 93.6% continuing therapy after adjustment. Concurrent therapies reported included chemotherapy (27.9%), radiation (21.3%), surgery (19.7%), supplements (49.2%), and dietary modification (37.7%). CONCLUSION: In this prospective real-world cohort of patients with cancer, ivermectin and mebendazole were associated with high rates of self-reported clinical benefit and favorable tolerability. These findings are hypothesis-generating and support the need for randomized controlled trials.

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Repurposing approved non-antitumor drugs is a promising and affordable strategy in drug discovery to identify new therapeutic uses different from the original medical indication that may help increase the number of possible, effective anticancer drugs. The use of drugs in ways other than their original FDA-approved indications could offer novel avenues such as bypassing the chemoresistance and recurrence seen with conventional therapy and treatment; moreover, it can offer a safe and economic strategy for combination therapy. Recent works have demonstrated the anticancer properties of the FDA-approved drug Mebendazole. This synthetic benzimidazole proved effective against a broad spectrum of intestinal Helminthiasis. Mebendazole can penetrate the blood-brain barrier and has been shown to inhibit the malignant progression of glioma by targeting signaling pathways related to cell proliferation, apoptosis, or invasion/migration, or by increasing the sensitivity of glioma cells to conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Moreover, several preclinical models and ongoing clinical trials explore the efficacy of Mebendazole in multiple cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia, brain cancer, oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, lung carcinoma, adrenocortical carcinoma, prostate cancer, and head and neck cancer. The present review summarizes central literature regarding the anticancer effects of MBZ in cancer cell lines, animal tumor models, and clinical trials to suggest possible strategies for safe and economical combinations of anticancer therapies in brain cancer. Mebendazole might be an excellent candidate for the treatment of brain tumors because of its efficacy both when used as monotherapy and in combination as an enhancement to standard chemotherapeutics and radiotherapy, due to its effectiveness on tumor angiogenesis inhibition, cell cycle arrest, apoptosis induction, and targeting of critical pathways involved in cancer such as Hedgehog signaling. Therefore, attention to MBZ repurposing has recently increased because of its potential therapeutic versatility and significant clinical implications, such as reducing medical care costs and optimizing existing therapies. Using new treatments is essential, particularly when current therapeutics for patients with brain cancer fail.

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A pericardial hydatid cyst (HC) is a rare manifestation of echinococcosis that can present with various clinical features. Management planning depends on the symptoms, involvement, and anatomical features of the HC. Some cases have reported total management with medical management with Albendazole or Mebendazole, while for the vast majority of cases, surgical intervention is needed.

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