albendazole vs theophylline

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Side-by-side comparison of albendazole and theophylline. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

minor Known Drug Interaction

( 7.3 ) Theophylline: Albendazole induces cytochrome P450 1A in human hepatoma cells; therefore, it is recommended that plasma concentrations of theophylline be monitored during and after treatment. 7.4 Theophylline Following a single dose of albendazole (400 mg), the pharmacokinetics of theophylline (aminophylline 5.8 mg/kg infused over 20 minutes) were unchanged. Albendazole induces cytochrome P450 1A in human hepatoma cells; therefore, it is recommended that plasma concentrations of theophylline be monitored during and after treatment.

Drug Class
albendazole Antiparasitic (Benzimidazole)
theophylline Methylxanthine Bronchodilator
Type
albendazole Prescription
theophylline Prescription
Summary
albendazole

Albendazole is a medicine that fights parasites. It is used to treat infections caused by tapeworms.

theophylline

Theophylline is a medicine that helps you breathe easier. It treats the symptoms of asthma and other lung problems.

What It Treats
albendazole

Albendazole treats infections caused by tapeworms. It is used for neurocysticercosis, which is caused by pork tapeworm larvae in the brain. It also treats hydatid disease, caused by dog tapeworm larvae in the liver, lungs, and abdomen.

theophylline

Theophylline treats the symptoms of long-term asthma and other lung diseases. These include emphysema and chronic bronchitis, which make it hard to breathe. This medicine helps to open up your airways so you can breathe easier.

How It Works
albendazole

Albendazole stops the tapeworms from growing and multiplying. It does this by blocking the worm's ability to use sugar (glucose). This eventually kills the parasite.

theophylline

Theophylline is a bronchodilator. It works by relaxing the muscles in your airways. This allows more air to flow in and out of your lungs.

Common Side Effects
albendazole
  • Abnormal liver function tests
  • Abdominal pain
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Reversible hair loss
theophylline
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Headache
  • Trouble sleeping (insomnia)
FAERS Reports
albendazole
  • Pyrexia 236
  • Headache 222
  • Condition Aggravated 213
  • Fatigue 167
  • Weight Decreased 166
theophylline
  • Dyspnoea 2,273
  • Asthma 1,942
  • Pneumonia 1,318
  • Wheezing 1,306
  • Vomiting 1,101
Serious Warnings
albendazole

Albendazole can cause bone marrow suppression, which can be fatal. Your doctor will check your blood counts before and during treatment. If your blood counts drop too low, you may need to stop taking albendazole. Albendazole can also harm an unborn baby, so women who can get pregnant should use birth control while taking it. If you are being treated for neurocysticercosis, you may experience seizures or other neurological problems. Your doctor may give you steroids and anti-seizure medicine to prevent these problems.

theophylline

If your theophylline levels get too high in your blood, it can cause serious side effects. These include severe vomiting, irregular heartbeats, and seizures. These can be life-threatening.

Pregnancy
albendazole

Albendazole can harm an unborn baby. Women who can get pregnant should use effective birth control while taking albendazole and for one month after stopping the medicine. If you become pregnant while taking albendazole, tell your doctor right away.

theophylline

It is not known if theophylline can harm an unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is also not known if theophylline passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

Compare albendazole with

How to Read This albendazole vs theophylline Comparison

albendazole is classified in the Antiparasitic (Benzimidazole) drug class, while theophylline sits within the Methylxanthine Bronchodilator class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, albendazole has 1,004 submissions while theophylline has 7,940. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to albendazole can make your liver work faster to clear theophylline from your body, which could make the theophylline less effective.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for albendazole or theophylline.

Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.