albendazole
Brand names: Albenza
Albendazole is a medicine that fights parasites. It is used to treat infections caused by tapeworms.
Drug Pricing (NADAC)
Generic Price
$7.16/unit
Generic Available
Yes (5 manufacturers)
Pricing data from NADAC (CMS), effective December 18, 2024. Compare all drug costs →
What it does
Albendazole treats infections caused by tapeworms.
Common side effects
Abnormal liver function tests, Abdominal pain, Nausea
Key warnings
Albendazole can cause bone marrow suppression, which can be fatal.
How It Works
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.
How to Take It
Take albendazole with food. If you weigh 60 kg (132 lbs) or more, the usual dose is 400 mg twice a day. If you weigh less than 60 kg, the dose is 15 mg per kg of body weight per day, divided into two doses. Do not take more than 800 mg per day. You can crush or chew the tablets and swallow them with water.
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
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.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue with your regular schedule.
Storage
Store albendazole at room temperature, between 68° to 77°F (20° to 25°C).
Side Effects (from patient reports)
Based on 2,206 FDA adverse event reports.
FDA Adverse Event Report Analysis
Detailed analysis of 1,829 reports from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Reports span 2004–2025.
Total Reports
1,829
Death-Related Reports
302
Hospitalization Reports
658
Top Indication
Product Used For Unknown Indication
Gender Distribution
Age Distribution
Most Reported Adverse Reactions (FAERS)
| # | Reaction | Reports |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | DRUG INEFFECTIVE | 365 |
| 2 | OFF LABEL USE | 284 |
| 3 | PYREXIA | 236 |
| 4 | PRODUCT USE IN UNAPPROVED INDICATION | 224 |
| 5 | HEADACHE | 222 |
| 6 | CONDITION AGGRAVATED | 213 |
| 7 | FATIGUE | 167 |
| 8 | WEIGHT DECREASED | 166 |
| 9 | RASH | 165 |
| 10 | PAIN | 164 |
| 11 | SOMNOLENCE | 159 |
| 12 | HAEMATOCHEZIA | 157 |
| 13 | RECTAL HAEMORRHAGE | 149 |
| 14 | COLITIS ULCERATIVE | 148 |
| 15 | STRESS | 148 |
Reactions in Death Reports
Reactions in Hospitalization Reports
Source: FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) FDA FAERS (Adverse Event Reporting System) Reports are voluntary and do not establish causation
Serious Warnings
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.
Known Drug Interactions
( 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.
Mechanism: Albendazole can make your liver work faster to clear theophylline from your body, which could make the theophylline less effective.
What to do: Your doctor should check your theophylline blood levels while you are taking this medicine and after you stop.
( 7.2 ) Cimetidine: Increased albendazole sulfoxide concentrations in bile and cystic fluid by about 2-fold in hydatid cyst patients. 7.3 Cimetidine Albendazole sulfoxide concentrations in bile and cystic fluid were increased (about 2-fold) in hydatid cyst patients treated with cimetidine (10 mg/kg/day) (n = 7) compared with albendazole (20 mg/kg/day) alone (n = 12).
Mechanism: Cimetidine interferes with how the body breaks down albendazole, which causes the drug levels to rise in certain body fluids.
What to do: Your doctor may need to monitor you more closely for side effects since the drug levels in your body could increase.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS Dexamethasone: Steady-state trough concentrations of albendazole sulfoxide were about 56% higher when dexamethasone was coadministered with each dose of albendazole. ( 5.5 , 7.4 ) 7.1 Dexamethasone Steady-state trough concentrations of albendazole sulfoxide were about 56% higher when 8 mg dexamethasone was co-administered with each dose of albendazole (15 mg/kg/day) in 8 neurocysticercosis patients.
Mechanism: Dexamethasone increases the amount of the active form of albendazole that stays in your bloodstream.
What to do: Your healthcare provider may need to adjust your dose or watch for increased side effects when taking these together.
In addition, carbamazepine causes, or would be expected to cause, decreased levels of the following drugs, for which monitoring of concentrations or dosage adjustment may be necessary: acetaminophen, albendazole, alprazolam, aprepitant, buprenorphone, bupropion, citalopram, clonazepam, clozapine, corticosteroids (e.g., prednisolone, dexamethasone), cyclosporine, dicumarol, dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (e.g., felodipine), doxycycline, ethosuximide, everolimus, haloperidol, imatinib, itraconazole, lamotrigine, levothyroxine, methadone, methsuximide, mianserin, midazolam, olanzapin...
Mechanism: Carbamazepine speeds up the way your body clears out albendazole. This means there may not be enough albendazole in your blood to treat your infection effectively.
What to do: Your doctor may need to increase your dose of albendazole or monitor you more closely to ensure the treatment is working. Follow up with your provider to check if the medication is still effective.
Phenytoin when given with the combination of fosamprenavir and ritonavir may increase the concentration of amprenavir Calcium channel blockers Nifedipine, nimodipine, nisoldipine, verapamil Other Albendazole (decreases active metabolite), chlorpropamide, clozapine, cyclosporine, digoxin, disopyramide, folic acid, methadone, mexiletine, praziquantel, quetiapine a The effect of phenytoin on phenobarbital, valproic acid and sodium valproate serum levels is unpredictable 7.3 Drug/Laboratory Test Interactions Care should be taken when using immunoanalytical methods to measure serum phenytoin con...
Mechanism: Phenytoin causes your body to process albendazole faster, which reduces the amount of the active medicine available to fight infection.
What to do: Your doctor may need to adjust your dose of albendazole or monitor your treatment more closely.
Common Questions
Can I take albendazole without food?
How long will I need to take albendazole?
What should I do if I experience side effects?
Will albendazole interact with other medications I am taking?
Can I drink alcohol while taking albendazole?
What tests will I need while taking albendazole?
Can I breastfeed while taking albendazole?
What if I can't swallow the tablet?
Is there a generic version of albendazole?
How soon will I feel better after starting albendazole?
What are the common side effects of albendazole?
Does albendazole interact with other medications?
What drug class is albendazole?
Is albendazole safe during pregnancy?
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Medication Guides
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What the FDA Data Shows for albendazole
The FDA label for albendazole (sold under brand names such as Albenza) classifies it as a prescription-only medication in the Antiparasitic (Benzimidazole) class. Albendazole treats infections caused by tapeworms. Official labeling lists 10 commonly reported side effects, including Abnormal liver function tests, Abdominal pain, Nausea.
Post-market surveillance from the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) captures real-world experience. For this drug, FAERS contains 2,206 voluntary reports. The database also lists 5 documented drug interactions derived from FDA labeling, with the top-flagged interaction rated minor severity. NADAC pricing from CMS shows a generic unit cost of $7.16.
Report counts do not establish causation — a FAERS entry documents a temporal association, not proof that the drug produced the outcome. Widely prescribed medications naturally accumulate more reports than niche therapies, so raw totals must be interpreted alongside total exposure. Shortage status, recall history, and patent information further shape supply and switching decisions. This page summarizes public FDA data for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice — always consult a licensed healthcare provider before starting, stopping, or changing any medication.
Data Sources
Drug labeling: FDA Drug Labels (SPL/DailyMed). Adverse events: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Pricing: CMS National Average Drug Acquisition Cost (NADAC).
FAERS reports are voluntary and do not establish causation. Drug interactions are derived from FDA labeling and clinical references. Always consult a healthcare professional before making medication decisions.
Last updated: September 30, 2019
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- FDA Orange Book — approved drug products with therapeutic equivalence. accessdata.fda.gov/cder/ob
- FDA DailyMed — NIH-hosted drug labeling for FDA-approved meds. dailymed.nlm.nih.gov
- FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) — post-marketing safety surveillance. fda.gov/drugs/faers
- NLM RxNorm — standardized clinical drug nomenclature. nlm.nih.gov/research/umls/rxnorm
- CMS Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price Files — federal drug pricing data. cms.gov/medicare/part-b-drugs/asp
- FDA Drug Shortages Database — current and resolved drug shortage tracking. accessdata.fda.gov/drugshortages