Mebendazole: Price, Dosage & Where to Buy

Mebendazole is a benzimidazole anthelmintic, a medicine that treats certain intestinal worm infections. It is prescribed most commonly for gastrointestinal infections caused by roundworm or whipworm.

Mebendazole chewable tablets contain 500 mg, and a generic version has been available since 1995-01-04. In the United Kingdom, this medicine requires a prescription.

Mebendazole belongs to the benzimidazole anthelmintic class. Medicines in this class act on structures and processes that intestinal worms need to maintain their energy supply and survive. By disrupting these processes, mebendazole weakens the worms and helps the body remove them from the gastrointestinal tract.

Its action is directed at the parasites rather than being an antibiotic effect against bacteria. The medicine is used for susceptible worm infections such as roundworm and whipworm, as specified for this product.

Mebendazole is indicated for gastrointestinal infections caused by Ascaris lumbricoides, commonly called roundworm, and Trichuris trichiura, commonly called whipworm. These are soil-transmitted intestinal worm infections. The label establishes use in patients aged one year and older, including children and adults, for these infections.

Mebendazole is not described here as a treatment for other worm infections or for symptoms with an unconfirmed cause. A clinician or pharmacist can advise whether the diagnosed infection matches the product indication and whether further assessment is needed.

The label lists a 500 mg round, flat, radius-edged chewable tablet. The usual starting dose is one 500 mg tablet as a single dose for patients aged one year and older with the indicated gastrointestinal infections. The label lists complete chewing before swallowing rather than swallowing the tablet whole.

The label lists that approximately 2 mL to 3 mL of drinking water can be added to a suitably sized spoon for patients who have difficulty chewing; the softened tablet mass can then be swallowed within 2 minutes. The label lists that the tablet can be taken without regard to food intake. The label describes this as a single-dose treatment, and the prescriber determines whether the product is appropriate for the diagnosed infection.

Store below 30°C and keep the container tightly closed. Unused tablets should be discarded 1 month after the bottle is first opened. The Discard After date should be written on the bottle label when the bottle is first opened, to maintain quality.

This product is described in the label as a single-dose treatment. If a dose is missed, omitted, or vomited, advice should be obtained from a pharmacist or prescriber rather than repeating the dose independently.

The correct action can depend on the timing and the diagnosed infection. A further dose should not be used to compensate for a missed dose unless a healthcare professional confirms that this is appropriate.

Published information has not reported a clear association between mebendazole use in pregnancy and major birth defects or miscarriage, but the available studies have limitations. Untreated soil-transmitted helminth infections can also be associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Animal studies reported developmental effects at some doses.

A small amount of mebendazole is present in human milk after oral administration, and the risk to a breastfed infant cannot be clearly determined. Pregnancy or breastfeeding should be discussed with a doctor or pharmacist.