Skip to main content

Praziquantel: A Broad-Spectrum Drug Acting against Trematodes and Cestodes Parasitizing Humans and Animals

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Sino-African Cooperation for Schistosomiasis Control in Zanzibar

Part of the book series: Parasitology Research Monographs ((Parasitology Res. Monogr.,volume 15))

  • 234 Accesses

Abstract

The chemical compound praziquantel has been developed by Bayer company in Leverkusen, Germany, is now also produced in China and sold worldwide as treatment of human and animal diseases due to infections with tapeworms and trematodes. It was used successfully by Chinese scientists for elimination of human and animal schistosomiasis in China and Zanzibar as well as in many other countries with endemics or returning tourists.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 109.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 139.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Further Reading

  • Abdel-Ghaffar F, Sobhy HM, Metwaly KS, AbdEl-Monem S, Mehlhorn H (2019) Nile River, impact on human health in Egypt from pharaohs until now. In: Mehlhorn H, Klimpel S (eds.) Parasite and disease spread by major rivers on earth. Parasitology Research Monographs, vol 12. Springer International Switzerland, Cham, pp. 237–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Almeida GT, Lage RC, Anderson L, Venancio TM, Nakaya HI, Miyasato PA, Rofatto HK, Zerlotini A, Nakano E, Oliveira G, Verjovski-Almeida S (2015) Synergy of omeprazole and praziquantel in vitro treatment against Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. PLoS Negl Trop Dis e0004086:9

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews P (1981) A summary of the efficacy of praziquantel against schistosomes in animal experiments and notes on its mode of action. Drug Res 31:538–541

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bagchus WM, Bezuidenhout D, Harrison-Moench E, Kourany-Lefoll E, Wolna P, Yalkinoglu O (2019) Relative bioavailability of orally dispersible tablet formulations of levo- and racemic praziquantel: two phase I studies. Clin Transl Sci 12:66–76

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Becker B, Mehlhorn H, Andrews P, Thomas H (1980a) Scanning and transmission electron microscope studies on the efficacy of praziquantel on Hymenolepis nana (Cestoda) in vitro. Z Parasitenkd (Parasitol Res) 61:121–133

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Becker B, Mehlhorn H, Andrews P, Thomas H, Eckert J (1980b) Light and electron microscopic studies on the effect of praziquantel on Schistosoma mansoni, Dicrocoelium dendriticum and Fasciola hepatica (Trematoda) in vitro. Z Parasitenkd (Parasitol Res) 63:113–128

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Becker B, Mehlhorn H, Andrews P, Thomas H (1981) Ultrastructural investigations on the effect of praziquantel on the tegument of five species of cestodes. Z Parasitenkd (Parasitol Res) 64:257–269

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bergquist R, Utzinger J, Keiser J (2017) Controlling schistosomiasis with praziquantel: how much longer without a viable alternative? Infect Dis Poverty 6:74

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Calvopiña M, Romero D, Castañeda B, Hashiguchi Y, Sugiyama H (2014) Current status of Paragonimus and paragonimiasis in Ecuador. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 109:849–855

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cioli D, Pica-Mattoccia L (2003) Praziquantel Parasitol Res 90(Supp 1):S3–S9

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cioli D, Pica-Mattoccia L, Basso A, Guidi A (2014) Schistosomiasis control: praziquantel forever? Mol Biochem Parasitol 195:23–29

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Colley DG, Bustinduy AL, Secor WE, King CH (2014) Human schistosomiasis. Lancet 383:2253–2264

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Coulibaly JT, Panic G, Silué KD, Kovač J, Hattendorf J, Keiser J (2017) Efficacy and safety of praziquantel in preschool-aged and school-aged children infected with Schistosoma mansoni: a randomised controlled, parallel-group, dose-ranging, phase 2 trial. Lancet Glob Health 5:e688–e698

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Cupit PM, Cunningham C (2015) What is the mechanism of action of praziquantel and how might resistance strike? Future Med Chem 7:701–705

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • da Silva VBR, Campos BRKL, de Oliveira JF, Decout JL, do Carmo Alves de Lima M (2017) Medicinal chemistry of antischistosomal drugs: Praziquantel and oxamniquine. Bioorg Med Chem 25:3259–3277

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Davis A, Biles JE, Ulrich AM (1979) Initial experiences with praziquantel in the treatment of human infections due to Schistosoma haematobium. Bull World Health Organ 57:773–779

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Doenhoff M, Kimani G, Cioli D (2000) Praziquantel and the control of schistosomiasis. Parasitol Today 16:364–366

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dömling A, Khoury K (2010) Praziquantel and schistosomiasis. ChemMedChem 5:1420–1434

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eckert J, Thompson RC, Mehlhorn H (1983) Proliferation and metastases formation of larval Echinococcus multilocularis. I. Animal model, macroscopical and histological findings. Z Parasitenkd (Parasitol Res) 69:737–748

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fenwick A (2015) Praziquantel: do we need another antischistosoma treatment? Future Med Chem 7:677–680

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fischer PU, Weil GJ (2015) North American paragonimiasis: epidemiology and diagnostic strategies. Expert Rev Anti-Infect Ther 13:779–786

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Friedman JF, Olveda RM, Mirochnick MH, Bustinduy AL, Elliott AM (2018) Praziquantel for the treatment of schistosomiasis during human pregnancy. Bull World Health Organ 96:59–65

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Gazzinelli-Guimaraes PH, Dhanani N, King CH, Campbell CH, Aurelio HO, Ferro J, Nala R, Fenwick A, Phillips AE (2018) Accuracy of the WHO praziquantel dose pole for large-scale community treatment of urogenital schistosomiasis in northern Mozambique: is it time for an update? PLoS Negl Trop Dis 12:e0006957

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Gönnert R, Andrews P (1977) Praziquantel, a new board-spectrum antischistosomal agent. Z Parasitenkd (Parasitol Res) 52:129–150

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gryseels B, Mbaye A, De Vlas SJ, Stelma FF, Guissé F, Van Lieshout L, Faye D, Diop M, Ly A, Tchuem-Tchuenté LA, Engels D, Polman K (2001) Are poor responses to praziquantel for the treatment of Schistosoma mansoni infections in Senegal due to resistance? An overview of the evidence. Tropical Med Int Health 6:864–873

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ishizaki T, Kamo E, Boehme K (1979) Double-blind studies of tolerance to praziquantel in Japanese patients with Schistosoma japonicum infections. Bull World Health Organ 57:787–791

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jesudoss Chelladurai J, Kifleyohannes T, Scott J, Brewer MT (2018 Nov) (2018) Praziquantel resistance in the zoonotic cestode Dipylidium caninum. Am J Trop Med Hyg 99(5):1201–1205

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang B, Zhou XN, Zhang HB, Tao Y, Huo LL, Liu N (2017) Slow-release praziquantel for dogs: presentation of a new formulation for echinococcosis control. Infect Dis Poverty 6:140

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Katz N, Rocha RS, Chaves A (1979) Preliminary trials with praziquantel in human infections due to Schistosoma mansoni. Bull World Health Organ 57:781–785

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kaewpitoon N, Kootanavanichpong N, Kompor P, Chavenkun W, Kujapun J, Norkaew J, Ponphimai S, Matrakool L, Tongtawee T, Panpimanmas S, Rujirakul R, Padchasuwan N, Pholsripradit P, Eksanti T, Phatisena T, Loyd RA, Kaewpitoon SJ (2015) Review and current status of Opisthorchis viverrini infection at the community level in Thailand. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 16:6825–6830

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Leopold G, Ungethüm W, Groll E, Diekmann HW, Nowak H, Wegner DH (1978) Clinical pharmacology in normal volunteers of praziquantel, a new drug against schistosomes and cestodes. An example of a complex study covering both tolerance and pharmacokinetics. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 14:281–291

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu YH, Qian MX, Wang XG, Jia J, Wang QN, Jiang YF, Wang RQ, Yan SH, Chen BY, Li JS et al (1986) Comparative efficacy of praziquantel and its optic isomers in experimental therapy of schistosomiasis japonica in rabbits. Chin Med J 99:935–940

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H (2008) Encyclopedia of parasitology, 3rd edn. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H (2016a) Animal parasites. Diagnosis, treatment. In: prevention. Springer International Publishing, Cham

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H (2016b) Worms of humans. In: Human parasites. Diagnosis, treatment, prevention. Springer International Publishing, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32802-7_4

  • Mehlhorn H (2016c) Encyclopedia of parasitology, 4th edn. Springer-Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H, Becker B, Andrews P, Thomas H, Frenkel JK (1981) In vivo and in vitro experiments on the effects of praziquantel on Schistosoma mansoni. A light and electron microscopic study. Drug Res 31:544–554

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H, Klimpel S (eds.) (2019) Parasite and disease spread by major rivers on earth. Parasitol res monographs, vol 12, Springer International Switzerland, Cham

    Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H, Kojima S, Rim HJ, Ruenwongsa P, Andrews P, Thomas H, Bunnag B (1983) Ultrastructural investigations on the effects of praziquantel on human trematodes from Asia: Clonorchis sinensis, Metagonimus yokogawai, Opisthorchis viverrini, Paragonimus westermani and Schistosoma japonicum. Drug Res 33:91–98

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H, Schmahl G, Frese M, Mevissen I, Harder A, Krieger K (2005) Effects of a combinations of emodepside and praziquantel on parasites of reptiles and rodents. Parasitol Res 97(Suppl 1):S65–S69

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mehlhorn H, Wu Z, Ye B (eds) (2014) Treatment of human schistosomiasis in traditional Chinese medicine. Parasitol res monographs, vol 6. Springer, Berlin, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Meister I, Kovac J, Duthaler U, Odermatt P, Huwyler J, Vanobberghen F, Sayasone S, Keiser J (2016) Pharmacokinetic study of praziquantel enantiomers and its main metabolite R-trans-4-OH-PZQ in plasma, blood and dried blood spots in Opisthorchis viverrini-infected patients. PLoS Negl Trop Dis e0004700:10

    Google Scholar 

  • Montero R, Ostrosky P (1997) Genotoxic activity of praziquantel. Mutat Res 387:123–139

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mwangi IN, Sanchez MC, Mkoji GM, Agola LE, Runo SM, Cupit PM, Cunningham C (2014) Praziquantel sensitivity of Kenyan Schistosoma mansoni isolates and the generation of a laboratory strain with reduced susceptibility to the drug. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 4:296–300

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Olliaro P, Delgado-Romero P, Keiser J (2014) The little we know about the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of praziquantel (racemate and R-enantiomer). J Antimicrob Chemother 69:863–870

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Olveda RM, Acosta LP, Tallo V, Baltazar PI, Lesiguez JL, Estanislao GG, Ayaso EB, Monterde DB, Ida A, Watson N, McDonald EA, Wu HW, Kurtis JD, Friedman JF (2016) Efficacy and safety of praziquantel for the treatment of human schistosomiasis during pregnancy: a phase 2, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Lancet Infect Dis 16:199–208

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Panic G, Coulibaly JT, Harvey N, Keiser J, Swann J (2018) Characterizing the biochemical response to Schistosoma mansoni infection and treatment with praziquantel in preschool and school aged children. J Proteome Res 17:2028–2033

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Panic G, Keiser J (2018) Acting beyond 2020: better characterization of praziquantel and promising antischistosomal leads. Curr Opin Pharmacol 42:27–33

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peters U, Kaiser G, Trapp R, Rosin H, Mehlhorn H (1984) Multiple parasitosis in an eosinophilic patient (Schistosoma mansoni, Ancylostoma duodenale). Forum Clin 35:427–430

    Google Scholar 

  • Portokalidou S, Gkentzi D, Stamouli V, Varvarigou A, Marangos M, Spiliopoulou I, Dimitriou G (2019) Dipylidium caninum infection in children: clinical presentation and therapeutic challenges. Pediatr Infect Dis J 38:e157–e159

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Qian MB, Utzinger J, Keiser J, Zhou XN (2016) Clonorchiasis Lancet 387:800–810

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schmahl G, Mehlhorn H (1985) Treatment of fish parasites. 1. Praziquantel effective against Monogenea (Dactylogyrus vastator, Dactylogyrus extensus, Diplozoon paradoxum). Z Parasitenkd (Parasitol Res) 71:727–737

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Seubert J, Pohlke R, Loebich F (1977) Synthesis and properties of praziquantel, a novel broad spectrum anthelmintic with excellent activity against schistosomes and cestodes. Experientia 33:1036–1037

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shimada M, Kirinoki M, Shimizu K, Kato-Hayashi N, Chigusa Y, Kitikoon V, Pongsasakulchoti P, Matsuda H (2010) Characteristics of granuloma formation and liver fibrosis in murine schistosomiasis mekongi: a morphological comparison between Schistosoma mekongi and S. japonicum infection. Parasitology 137:1781–1789

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Staudt U, Schmahl G, Blaschke G, Mehlhorn H (1992) Light and scanning electron microscopy studies on the effects of the enantiomers of praziquantel and its main metabolite on Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. Parasitol Res 78:392–397

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sun Q, Mao R, Wang D, Hu C, Zheng Y, Sun D (2016) The cytotoxicity study of praziquantel enantiomers. Drug Des Devel Ther 10:2061–1068

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Taraschewski H, Mehlhorn H, Bunnag D, Andrews P, Thomas H (1986) Effects of praziquantel on human intestinal flukes (Fasciolopsis buski and Heterophyes heterophyes). Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg A 262:542–550

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas CM, Timson DJ (2018) The mechanism of action of praziquantel: six hypotheses. Curr Top Med Chem 18:1575–1584

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas H, Andrews P, Mehlhorn H (1982) New results on the effect of praziquantel in experimental cysticercosis. Am J Trop Med Hyg 31:803–810

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas H, Gönnert R (1977) The efficacy of praziquantel against cestodes in animals. Z Parasitenkd (Parasitol Res) 52:117–127

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas H, Gönnert R (1978) The efficacy of praziquantel against cestodes in cats, dogs and sheep. Res Vet Sci 24:20–25

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Vale N, Gouveia MJ, Rinaldi G, Brindley PJ, Gärtner F, Correia da Costa JM (2017) Praziquantel for schistosomiasis: single-drug metabolism revisited, mode of action and resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 61:e02582–e02516

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Wahn V, Mehlhorn H (1984) Four kinds of parasites in an 8-year-old boy. Therapeutic effects of praziquantel against Fasciola hepatica. Dtsch Med Wochenschr 109:1486–1488

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wan F, Jiang M, Zhan A (eds) (2017) Biological invasions and its management in China, vol 2. Springer Nature, Singapore

    Google Scholar 

  • Webbe G, James C (1977) A comparison of the susceptibility to praziquantel of Schistosoma haematobium, S japonicum, S mansoni, S intercalatum and S mattheei in hamsters. Z Parasitenkd (Parasitol Res) 52:169–177

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • WHO (2016) WHO urges increased access to praziqantel as schistosomiasis treatment coverage improves. In: Geneva: Head Quarter Information

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu W, Qian X, Huang Y, Hong Q (2012) A review of the control of clonorchiasis sinensis and Taenia solium taeniasis/cysticercosis in China. Parasitol Res 111:1879–1884

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu Z (2019) Epidemic status of schistosomiasis in Guangdong Province. In: Mehlhorn H, Klimpel S (eds.) Parasite and disease spread by major rivers on earth. Parasitology research monographs, vol 12. Springer International Switzerland, Cham, pp. 279–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu Z, Liu Y, Mehlhorn H (eds.) (2019) Schistosomiasis control in China. The successful example of Jiangxi province. Parasitology research monographs, vol 11. Springer International Switzerland, Cham

    Google Scholar 

  • Yoshida A, Doanh PN, Maruyama H (2019) Paragonimus and paragonimiasis in Asia: An update. Acta Trop 105074:199

    Google Scholar 

  • Young ND, Chan KG, Korhonen PK, Min Chong T, Ee R, Mohandas N, Koehler AV, Lim YL, Hofmann A, Jex AR, Qian B, Chilton NB, Gobert GN, McManus DP, Tan P, Webster BL, Rollinson D, Gasser RB (2015) Exploring molecular variation in Schistosoma japonicum in China. Sci Rep 5:17345

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Zwang J, Olliaro P (2017) Efficacy and safety of praziquantel 40 mg/kg in preschool-aged and school-aged children: a meta-analysis. Parasit Vectors 10:47

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Heinz Mehlhorn .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Mehlhorn, H. (2021). Praziquantel: A Broad-Spectrum Drug Acting against Trematodes and Cestodes Parasitizing Humans and Animals. In: Yang, K., Mehlhorn, H. (eds) Sino-African Cooperation for Schistosomiasis Control in Zanzibar. Parasitology Research Monographs, vol 15. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-72165-7_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics