[Treatment of alveolar echinococcosis with flubendazole. Pharmacological study (author's transl)]

Several publications mention a relative efficacy of flubendazole in the treatment of alveolar echinococcosis of the liver (AE). It may seem surprising, being considered the poor intestinal absorption of this drug. A study of the plasma levels was performed in 6 patients, during the treatment with oral flubendazole (approximatively 50 mg/kg/24 h) : 3 patients with normal or subnormal liver functions, 1 hydatidosis and 2 clinically nearly latent AE (group I) ; 3 patients with a highly developed AE (group II). The levels were measured by radioimmunoassay. In the group I, the plasma levels were very low, more often inferior to 3 ng/ml, without distinct peaks. In the group II, the valley levels were higher than 0 ng/ml, and the peaks ranged from 47,4 to 50,4 ng/ml (1 to 3 hours after an intake). The increase in the dosage allowed higher levels, as opposed to previous assertions. The bile and faeces concentrations, as well as the urinary elimination, were studied in a patient with external biliary drainage. The intramusculary injectable flubendazole was used in a patient, without benefit as far as plasma levels are concerned.