Drug Administration of Albendazole

Drug Administration of Albendazole

Albendazole is administered orally with food. Oral bioavailability of albendazole appears to be increased when the drug is administered with a fatty meal; when the drug is administered with meals containing about 40 g of fat, plasma concentrations of albendazole sulfoxide are up to 5 times higher than those observed when the drug is administered to fasting patients.

In patients who have difficulty swallowing tablets whole (particularly young children), albendazole tablets may be crushed or chewed and swallowed with a drink of water.

Albendazole may cause harm to the fetus and should be used during pregnancy only if the benefits justify the risk to the fetus and only when no alternative management is appropriate. Women of childbearing age should begin treatment only after a negative pregnancy test, and should be cautioned against becoming pregnant while receiving albendazole or within 1 month of completing treatment with the drug.

Because albendazole has been associated with mild to moderate increases of hepatic enzymes in about 16% of patients receiving the drug in clinical trials, and may cause hepatotoxicity, liver function tests should be performed prior to each course of albendazole therapy and at least every 2 weeks during treatment with the drug. If hepatic enzyme concentrations exceed twice the upper limit of normal, consideration should be given to discontinuance of the drug based on the individual patient circumstance. Decisions to reinstitute albendazole when hepatic enzymes return to pretreatment levels should be individualized taking into account the risks and benefits of further albendazole treatment. If the drug is reinstituted, laboratory tests should be performed frequently.

Leukopenia has occurred in less than 1% of patients receiving albendazole, and rarely, granulocytopenia, pancytopenia, agranulocytosis, or thrombocytopenia has been reported. Therefore, blood counts should be performed at the start of, and every 2 weeks during, each 28-day treatment cycle. Albendazole should be discontinued if clinically important decreases in blood cell counts occur.