The little we know about the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of praziquantel (racemate and R-enantiomer).

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Olliaro P, Delgado-Romero P, Keiser J

The little we know about the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of praziquantel (racemate and R-enantiomer).

J Antimicrob Chemother. 2014 Apr;69(4):863-70. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkt491. Epub 2014 Jan 2.

PubMed ID

24390933 [ View in PubMed

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Abstract

Praziquantel has been the mainstay of schistosomiasis control since 1984 and widely distributed since 2006 through 'preventive chemotherapy' programmes to school-aged children or at-risk populations. In addition, preschool-aged children are now recognized as a vulnerable population and a group for targeted treatment, but they may be difficult to dose correctly with the available product--a racemate, based on the biologically active enantiomer (R-praziquantel) and the inactive distomer (S-praziquantel), which contributes the bitter taste and doubles the size of the tablets. Hence, a paediatric formulation is required, possibly enantiomerically pure. Developing such a product and extending its use to younger children should be pharmacologically guided, but limited data exist on pharmacokinetics and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic correlations for praziquantel. This article presents available data on the chemistry, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of praziquantel, as well as R-praziquantel, and points to gaps in our knowledge.

DrugBank Data that Cites this Article

Drugs

Praziquantel

Drug Carriers

Drug	Carrier	Kind	Organism	Pharmacological Action	Actions
Praziquantel	Serum albumin	Protein	Humans	No	Binder	Details