• Anthelmintic (systemic)

Triclabendazole ( tri-cla-BEN-da-zole) is used to treat infections caused by some flatworms. Triclabendazole probably works by immobilizing the worm so that the worm dies.

Triclabendazole is used to treat the following flatworms: sheep liver flukes (fascioliasis) and giant liver flukes that occasionally infect man.

This medicine may also be used for another flatworm infection as determined by your doctor.

Triclabendazole is available only with your doctor's prescription, in the following dosage form:

Oral
• Tablets (Egypt)

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For triclabendazole, the following should be considered:

Allergies—Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to triclabendazole. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy—Studies have not been done in pregnant women. However, triclabendazole has not been shown to cause birth defects or other problems in animal studies.

Breast-feeding—Triclabendazole passes into the breast milk. Triclabendazole has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children—Although there is no specific information comparing use of triclabendazole in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does in adults.

Older adults—Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of triclabendazole in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines—Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Triclabendazole is best taken after meals, especially with food containing fat, to help your body absorb the medicine better.

To help clear up your infection completely, take this medicine exactly as directed by your doctor for the full time of treatment . A second treatment with this medicine may be needed to clear up the infection completely. Do not miss any doses.

Dosing—

The dose of triclabendazole will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of triclabendazole. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

The number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are taking triclabendazole.

• For oral dosage form (tablets):
  • For sheep liver flukes and giant liver flukes:
    • Adults—Dose is based on body weight and will be determined by your doctor. It is taken as a single dose and may need to be repeated after two weeks.
    • Children—Dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed dose—

If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses.

Storage—

To store this medicine:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

It is important that your doctor check your progress after treatment. This is to make sure that the infection is cleared up completely, and to allow your doctor to check for any unwanted effects.

If your symptoms do not improve after you have taken this medicine for the full course of treatment, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. The following side effect may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. However, check with your doctor if this effect continues or is bothersome.

• Less common
  • Diarrhea;  stomach cramps 
  
  

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.

Once a medicine has been approved for marketing for a certain use, experience may show that it is also useful for other medical problems. Triclabendazole is used in certain patients infected with the following flatworm:

• Lung fluke (paragonimiasis)

Other than the above information, there is no additional information relating to proper use, precautions, or side effects for this use.