There is no evidence that mebendazole, even at high doses, is effective for hydatid disease. There have been rare reports of neutropenia and agranulocytosis when mebendazole was taken for prolonged periods and at dosages substantially above those recommended.
There is currently no manufacturer warning information available for this drug.
Mebendazole tablets are indicated for the treatment of Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm), Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), Ascaris lumbricoides (common roundworm), Ancylostoma duodenale (common hookworm), Necator americanus (American hookworm) in single or mixed infections.
Efficacy varies as a function of such factors as preexisting diarrhea and gastrointestinal transit time, degree of infection, and helminth strains. Efficacy rates derived from various studies are shown in the table below:
| Pinworm (enterobiasis) | Whipworm (trichuriasis) | Common Roundworm (ascariasis) | Hookworm | |
| Cure rates mean | 95% | 68% | 98% | 96% |
| Egg reduction mean | — | 93% | 99% | 99% |
Mebendazole is a (synthetic) broad-spectrum anthelmintic available as chewable tablets, each containing 100 mg of mebendazole. Inactive ingredients are: anhydrous lactose NF, corn starch, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium saccharin, sodium starch glycolate, stearic acid, and FD&C Yellow #6.
Mebendazole is methyl 5-benzoylbenzimidazole-2-carbamate and has the following structural formula:
Molecular Formula: C16H13N3O3
Mebendazole is a white to slightly yellow powder with a molecular weight of 295.29. It is less than 0.05% soluble in water, dilute mineral acid solutions, alcohol, ether and chloroform, but is soluble in formic acid.
