Efficacy of flubendazole and albendazole against Trichinella spiralis in mice

Efficacy of flubendazole and albendazole against Trichinella spiralis in mice were studied. ICR mice were experimentally infected with Trichinella spiralis and treated with either flubendazole (FBZ) or albendazole (ABZ) at four different stages of the parasite life-cycle. Oral administration of either FBZ or ABZ at 20 mg/kg and 50 mg/kg on 2 h, 8 h and 24 h (pre-adult stage) after infection eliminated 94.7 - 100 % of adults as determined at necropsy on day 7 post infection (p.i.) and 96.9 ~ 100 % of larvae on day 45 p.i. FBZ was more effective than ABZ against adult T. spiralis (at 2 to 6 days p.i.), when treated with a dosage of 20 mg/kg for 5 consecutive days (99.4 % and 46.0 % reduction with respect to the control group). Against migrating larval T. spiralis, FBZ was more effective than ABZ at 20 mg/kg for five consecutive days (on days 11 ~ 15 p.i.), and the reduction rate of recovered larvae were 99.6 % (FBZ) and 80.8 % (ABZ) respectively. FBZ was more effective against early encapsulated larval T. spiralis (at 21 to 25 days p.i.), than ABZ when both were given at 20 mg/kg for five consecutive days (99.8 % and 45.4 % reduction, respectively). In conclusion, flubendazole was more effective than albendazole against adult and parenteral stages of Trichinella spiralis in mice.