Levamisole

From Anvita Health Wiki

Contents 1 Indications 2 Dosage 3 Adverse-effects 4 Drug-interactions 5 Mechanism-of-action 6 More General Terms 7 Internet Database 8 References

Indications

• adjuvant treatment in combination with fluorouracil for patient's with Duke's C colon cancer
• used as an antihelmintic agent

Dosage

• 50 mg PO every 8 hours for 3 days, repeated every 2 weeks

• Tabs: 50 mg (as base).

Adverse-effects

• common (> 10%)

• nausea (mild), diarrhea

• less common (1-10%)

• stomatitis, vomiting, anorexia, abdominal pain, constipation, leukopenia, dermatitis, alopecia, fatigue, fever, rigors, edema, infection, taste disturbance, arthralgia, myalgia, dizziness, headache, paresthesia, somnolence, depression, nervousness, insomnia

• uncommon (< 1%)

• flatulence, dyspepsia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, granulocytopenia, epistaxis, pruritis, urticaria, chest pain, altered sense of smell, anxiety, abnormal tearing, blurred vision, conjunctivitis

• other

• rash
• hallucinations
• flu-like syndrome

Drug-interactions

• levamisole may increase phenytoin levels
• levamisole may increase anticoagulant effects of warfarin
  
• drug interaction(s) of antibiotics with warfarin

Mechanism-of-action

• stimulates macrophages & T-lymphocytes
• has some antitumor effect

More General Terms

• antineoplastic agent (chemotherapeutic agent)
• antihelmintic

Internet Database

PubChem: 26879
PubChem: 3913
PubChem: 27944
PubChem: 198119

References

1. Drug Information & Medication Formulary, Veterans Affairs, Central California Health Care System, 1st ed., Ravnan et al eds, 1998 - not on National VA formulary
2. Kaiser Permanente Northern California Regional Drug Formulary, 1998

levamisole (Ergamisole)