Single dose therapy of paragonimiasis with menichlopholan

Menichlopholan, biphenyl compound, in a single dose of 2 mg/kg body weight, gave a 73%-90% cure rate in the treatment of pulmonary infections due to Paragonimus uterobilateralis at two centers in Nigeria. Ninety-five patients were followed up for 4 months, and 58 for 1 year. Side effects of the drug included sweating and body pains, but there was no significnat biochemical or hematological evidence of damage to the internal organs. The advantages of single dose therapy are likely to make menichlopholan the treatment of choice for paragonimiasis in Africa, and probably elsewhere.