The drug Praziquantel: analogues, use, contraindications

Instructions for use

Praziquantel worming tablets can be given in different ways, here are some of them:

• Grind the tablet into powder, the easiest way to do this is with the base of a teaspoon. Then add the tablet powder to a small portion of the food. Minced meat or pate is perfect, as cats eat this delicacy more readily. Remember to carefully place the powder in the food before giving it to your cat.
• Ask loved ones to hold your pet. Open his mouth and place a Praziquantel tablet on the back of his tongue. His swallowing reflex will work, and therefore the fluffy will quickly swallow the medicine.
• Take the required number of tablets and crush them in any convenient way. Then dilute the powder with a small amount of warm milk. It is important to thoroughly mix the resulting suspension and then draw it into a syringe without a needle. The pet needs to open its mouth and then quickly inject it into the throat. Try to get it on the palate, in this case the product will definitely get into the esophagus and the cat will not choke.

Personal prevention measures

• When working with Prazitel ®, you should follow the general rules of personal hygiene and safety precautions provided for when working with medicinal products.
• When finished, wash your hands thoroughly with warm water and soap.
• In case of accidental contact of the drug with the skin or mucous membranes of the eyes, they must be rinsed with plenty of water.
• People with hypersensitivity to the components of the drug should avoid direct contact with Prazitel ® tablets. If allergic reactions occur or if the drug accidentally enters the human body, you should immediately contact a medical facility (bring with you the instructions for use of the drug or the label).
• Empty drug packaging must not be used for household purposes; they must be disposed of with household waste.

Reviews:

Gennady: At my mother’s dacha, my wife and I took a 3-month-old kitten, which we named Serik. After 3 days, it became clear that things were really bad for him, as he stopped eating and going to the toilet. We immediately went to the clinic, the doctor told us that there were so many worms in the intestines that they did not pass feces. The veterinarian prescribed an enema to empty the intestines and also prescribed Praziquantel tablets. After a single application, the parasites came out on the second day. After this, Serik quickly began to gain weight. The drug has no side effects, I can confidently recommend it to all furry owners!

Alla: The cat began to have severe intestinal upset, and I immediately suspected that my pet had caught parasites. I immediately ran to the pharmacy, since I have been using praziquantel for a long time. I used it 2 months ago as a preventive measure, but now she has caught them. I simply place the tablet on the base of my tongue and Musya swallows it herself. The drug costs approximately 400 rubles. But our pharmacy sells tablets individually, so I only paid 60 rubles per tablet. An excellent anthelmintic!

Sergey: I’ve been using Praziquantel for 1.5 years now, grinding the tablet into powder and then mixing it with the pate. My Barsik simply loves goose liver pate, and therefore quickly eats the medicine. The cat hasn’t had worms for a whole year, I carry out preventive maintenance once every 3 months.

How the drug works

The mechanism of action of Prazitel is due to the presence of active substances in its composition. Praziquantel and parantel have a complex effect on helminth cells, as a result of which their muscle work and energy metabolism are disrupted. This leads to paralysis and death of the parasite, and it is subsequently eliminated from the cat’s body.

Praziquantel is absorbed through the intestinal wall and distributed to all organs and tissues, and is excreted in the urine. Pyrantel penetrates the intestinal wall only partially and is excreted mainly in the feces. The drug elimination time is 1–2 days.

Prevention of worms in cats

Better than dealing with parasites in cats, do everything possible to prevent parasite infestation. If you follow these recommendations, you can significantly reduce the risk of helminthic infestation:

• Carry out deworming at least once every 3 months, especially for those pets that roam freely on the street.
• Try to clean your cat's litter box regularly, preferably 2 times a week. Dry feces should be removed from the tray daily.
• Clean the litter more often, as helminth eggs can accumulate on it in large quantities.
• Keep outdoor shoes out of reach of your pet, as shoes can also bring parasites into your home.
• Try not to feed your pet raw fish and meat.
• If you come from outside, wash your hands first, and only then can you have contact with your pet.

Pharmacological properties

Prazitel ® tablets are classified as combined anthelmintic drugs. The combination of praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate included in the drug provides a wide spectrum of anthelmintic action on all phases of development of round and tape helminths parasitizing cats, kittens and puppies, incl. Toxocara canis, Toxocara mystax, Toxascaris leonina, Uncinaria stenocephala, Ancylostoma spp., Echinococcus granulosus, Alveococcus multilocularis, Mesocestoides lineatus, Dipylidium caninum, Diphyllobothrium latum. The mechanism of action of the active ingredients included in the drug is based on inhibition of fumarate reductase, persistent depolarization of helminth muscle cells, disruption of energy metabolism, which causes paralysis and death of the parasite and promotes its removal from the gastrointestinal tract. When administered orally, praziquantel is quickly absorbed in the intestine and distributed in organs and tissues, and is excreted from the body mainly in the urine in a metabolized form; Pyrantel pamoate is partially absorbed in the intestine and is excreted mainly in feces within 24 to 48 hours. In terms of the degree of impact on the body, Prazitel ® tablets are classified as moderately hazardous substances (hazard class 3 according to GOST 12.1.007-76); in recommended doses, they do not have immunotoxic, sensitizing, embryotoxic or teratogenic effects.

Contraindications and side effects

The medicine is considered moderately dangerous. Therefore, if the rules of use are followed, there is no embryotoxic, sensitizing, teratogenic or immunotoxic effect.

Prazitel suspension should not be given to pets who are sick or recovering from a serious illness. The use of this drug to deworm pregnant cats during the first months of pregnancy is also prohibited. A kitten under 3 weeks of age cannot be treated with this product either.

It is not recommended to administer the solution to animals that have an individual intolerance to a certain component of this medicine.

When the drug is used correctly, no adverse reactions occur. If the solution is administered for the first time, the pet must be closely monitored. If signs of deterioration in health appear, the animal should be shown to a veterinarian.

Side effects can only appear if the administration was carried out incorrectly (for example, the dose was incorrectly determined) or an expired solution was used. In this case, increased salivation may occur. This symptom is short-term and goes away on its own after some time. Therefore, in this case, there is no need to seek medical help from a veterinarian.

Directions for use and doses

Instructions for use of Praziquantel vary depending on the type of disease. For some parasites, a single dose is enough, for others - a course. The tablets are taken orally with water.

For schistosomiasis, the dosage is calculated based on the patient’s weight and type of disease. In case of severe damage, the dose can reach 60-70 mg per day; in case of damage to the genitourinary system, a single dose of 0.04 g/kg body weight is sufficient.

Flukes are treated within 24 hours, using the product three times in the amount of 0.025 g/kg body weight. The dosage for paragonimiasis will be similar, only the course of therapy will be 2 days.

For trematodes, the drug is prescribed at 75 mg/kg per day. The dosage is divided into three doses, the interval between them should be no more than six hours. Cestodoses are treated with a single dose of 10-25 mg/kg body weight. Treatment of cysticercosis lasts 1-4 days, you need to take 50 mg/kg per day, divided into three doses.

Praziquantel for opisthorchiasis is taken 2-3 times a day for one day, the volume of the medicine is 45-70 mg.

Important! To determine the course of treatment and dosage, it is necessary to know exactly the type of parasite and the extent of the damage. Only a doctor can do this! Under no circumstances should you self-medicate.

Contraindications and side effects

An anthelmintic should not be used:

• up to 2 weeks of age;
• for exhausted animals;
• for pets who have undergone surgery or serious illness;
• within 14 days after birth;
• in the first half of pregnancy;
• with individual intolerance.

The drug should not be taken together with piperazine due to the risk of increased toxicity.

The medicine does not cause side effects unless the dose is exceeded. Only allergic reactions may occur. If a larger amount of the drug enters the body, the following phenomena may occur:

• increased salivation;
• disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, which may manifest as vomiting or diarrhea;
• depression and apathy.

Symptoms usually go away on their own and do not require special treatment. If the animal's condition does not improve, you should consult a doctor. He will prescribe symptomatic treatment. Measures may be required to speed up the elimination of the drug from the body.

Analogs

The following drugs are structural analogues of Praziquantel:

• Azinox;
• Pikwiton;
• Droncite;
• Cystricide;
• Cestox;
• Cesol;
• Biltricide.

They are based on the same active substance, which means the effect of use will be identical. But what products have a similar effect based on other substances:

• Antimonyl sodium tartrate;
• Ditrazine citrate;
• Nemozol;
• Chloxyl.

Important! When prescribing a drug, the attending physician should clarify in advance what means it can be replaced if necessary. It is not recommended to change the doctor's prescription on your own.

Release form and composition

The chemical composition of the drug Prazitel was developed by scientists from SKiFF LLC. The issue is handled by another Moscow company. The active ingredients of the anthelmintic drug are praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate. Their concentrations and ratios depend on the form of the drug and the purpose by age. The medicine is effective against mature worms and larvae. The drug is marketed in two forms: suspension (Prazitel suspension) and tablets (Prazitel tabulettae). Both are intended for oral use.

Prazitel suspension

The liquid form is made in the form of a thick solution of a light cream or yellowish tint. Bottles with Prasitel suspension for cats have different volumes: 5, 10 and 15 ml. The bottles are made of dark glass or plastic. 1 ml of medicine contains 3 mg of praziquantel and 30 mg of pyrantel. The suspension may separate over time; this is considered normal. To restore homogeneity, shake the container before use.

Along with the usual suspension, the manufacturer produces Prazitel Special. This variety is intended for older pets, that is, for those over 6 years old. The composition includes R-praziquantel, which has a gentler effect on the cat’s body. In addition, additional components of the suspension include inulin and silybin. The first improves the activity of intestinal microflora, the second restores liver cells.

Prazitel suspension is stored away from sunlight at room temperature (from 0 to 25 degrees).

Prazitel tablets

Externally, you can distinguish the tablet form from its analogues by its greenish-yellow color. Each Prasitel tablet weighs 0.32 grams and is marked with the “PR” logo. The packaging of the drug includes an even number of capsules: 2, 4, 6, 8 or 10 pieces. It is allowed to pack tablets in metallized blisters or laminated paper. The authentic drug is placed in cardboard boxes.

The amount of praziquantel in one tablet is 20 mg, pyrantel pamoate - 200 mg. To improve the organoleptic and physicochemical properties, in addition to the active components, Prazitel tablets include excipients: potato starch (10 g), lactose (80 g), gelatin (0.9 g), croscarmellose sodium (6 g), calcium stearate ( 3.1 g). Prazitel tabulettae, intended for kittens, has a lower concentration of active ingredients. The amount of praziquantel in such a tablet is reduced to 5 g, and pyrantel - to 50 g.

Contraindications

For Prazitel, the contraindications for use are as follows:

• Individual intolerance to components.
• Infectious diseases.
• Exhaustion.
• Taking products containing the active ingredient piperazine (Prazitel will be ineffective).
• The period of the first half of pregnancy.
• The period is up to 2 weeks after birth.
• The puppies are less than 2 weeks old.

The use of Prazitel to lactating bitches requires consultation with a specialist for possible dose adjustment, since the components of the drug can be excreted through milk.

According to the degree of impact, Prazitel belongs to the third hazard class. In prescribed doses, it has no side effects, except for possible short-term increased salivation.

Treatment during pregnancy and breastfeeding

It is not recommended to use the medicine for treatment in women in the first trimester of pregnancy. At a later date, it can be taken, but only on the recommendation and under the strict supervision of a doctor. Treatment should not be carried out during lactation, since the drug can penetrate into mother's milk.

If the doctor considers it necessary to use Praziquantel while breastfeeding, it is not recommended to breastfeed the baby on the day of taking the drug. You can resume feeding 72 hours after the last dose of the drug.