Levamisole hydrochloride

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Levamisole Hydrochloride

Levamisole hydrochloride (pronunciation: leh-va-MIS-ole HYE-droe-KLOR-ide) is a medication primarily used for parasitic worm infections. It is also used as an immunomodulator and has been used in the treatment of colorectal cancer.

Etymology

The term "Levamisole" is derived from the French "levamisole", which is a combination of "levo" meaning left, and "amisole", a type of anthelmintic drug. The "hydrochloride" part refers to the hydrochloride salt form of the drug, which is commonly used in pharmaceuticals to increase the stability of the active ingredient.

Usage

Levamisole hydrochloride is used to treat a variety of parasitic worm infections. It works by paralyzing the worms, which are then expelled from the body through the feces. In addition to its anthelmintic properties, levamisole hydrochloride is also an immunomodulator, meaning it can modify the immune response or the functioning of the immune system.

Related Terms

  • Anthelmintic: A type of drug used to treat infections caused by parasitic worms.
  • Immunomodulator: A substance that helps to regulate the immune system.
  • Colorectal cancer: A type of cancer that starts in the colon or rectum.

Side Effects

Like all medications, levamisole hydrochloride can cause side effects. These may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and skin rash. In rare cases, it can cause more serious side effects such as agranulocytosis (a decrease in the number of white blood cells), which can lead to serious infections.

See Also

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski