What is Ivermectin?

What is Ivermectin?

Ivermectin is a new type of highly effective semi-synthetic antibiotic insecticide, acaricide and nematicide, which is an insect neurotoxic agent and biological penetrant. The mechanism of action is to interfere with the pest's neurophysiological activity, stimulate the release of γ-aminobutyric acid, which acts on the nerve and muscle joints, increasing the release of chloride ions and inhibiting the information transmission of the nerve joints, resulting in paralysis and poisoning death of pests and pest mites. Its product is a colorless or light brownish-yellow liquid.

Parasitic diseases are a major class of infectious diseases that seriously affect human health and endanger domestic animals and poultry. According to the results of a survey conducted by the Institute of Parasitic Diseases of the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine in 1992, the parasitic infection rate in China was 62.632%, with 17 provinces (regions) having an infection rate of more than 50% and Hainan, Guangxi, Sichuan, Fujian, Zhejiang and Guizhou having an infection rate of more than 80%. Due to the large number of infections, parasitic diseases are one of the major causes of malnutrition in children and hinder the health of primary and secondary school students, which is a health problem that cannot be ignored. Therefore, the search for broad-spectrum and highly effective anthelmintic drugs is still the current research direction.

What exactly is ivermectin? What can it treat ?

Ivermectin is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic that treats internal parasites, such as worms, and can also be applied topically to treat mange or lice. First used to treat heartworm disease in dogs, it now has a wide range of uses in the animal kingdom and is widely used in horses and food animals such as cattle and pigs. It has also been used in humans to treat rapid and marked reduction of microfilariae in skin and eye tissue for as long as 6 to 12 months. It has no effect on adults, but affects developing larvae and blocks the release of microfilariae from the female's uterus and interrupts the transmission of onchocerci microfilariae to intermediate hosts.

Ivermectin has been selected for the treatment of Onchocerca filariasis, although it is highly effective in the treatment of intestinal nematodes including those caused by solid nematodes. The role of ivermectin in lymphatic systemic lymphatic helminths has not been well studied.

Pharmacological properties

Ivermectin is a semi-synthetic derivative of avermectin, a group of substances with a macrolide structure isolated from Streptomyces fermentum. Ivermectin is effective against a wide range of nematodes, such as nematodes, whipworms, pinworms, roundworms, hookworms, and Bancroftian figs. However, the drug has no effect on liver flukes and tape worms.

Currently, ivermectin is the drug of choice for the treatment of intestinal mucormycosis and is a very effective nematicide, but is not harmful to adult worms. The helminth larvae in the skin disappear rapidly after 2-3 days of administration; while the larvae are slower in the cornea and anterior chamber.

Dosage

Ivermectin should be taken early in the morning without food or at other times with water, but avoid eating for 2 hours before and after taking the drug. - Adults and children over 5 years of age: use a single dose of 0.15 mg/kg. Annual retreatment at the above dose is necessary to ensure control of Onchocerca filariasis. More frequent re-treatment, e.g. every 6 months, may be necessary if the patient has a severe infection of the larvae in the eye.

Side effects

Ivermectin is a safe drug that is well suited for a wide range of treatment regimens. Most of the adverse effects of the drug are due to an immune response to dead larvae. Therefore, the severity of this effect is related to the density of larvae in the skin. Reported adverse events include fever, pruritus, dizziness, edema, rash, lymph node pressure, sweating, tremor, muscle pain, joint swelling, facial swelling app Mazzotti). Severe postural hypotension with sweating, tachycardia, and confusion have been reported.

Precautions

There is insufficient experience with the use of drugs for children under 5 years of age, so do not use the drug in this age group.