Fenben lab fenbendazole is a broad-spectrum anthelmintic that has been used for decades to control various parasites in animals. The drug belongs to a group of medications called the benzimidazoles (I coined it “BZ”). The drug has also been used to treat diseases caused by parasitic protozoa such as malaria and amoebiasis. In fact, fenbendazole is so well tolerated that it is used to treat pets such as dogs and cats for the treatment of multiple parasites, especially roundworms and hookworms.
The drug is available in several forms including oral granules and liquid suspension that can be given by mouth. It should be given with food to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal upset. If a pet owner misses a dose, the medication should be given as soon as it is remembered, but not at a time that is close to the next scheduled dosing time. It is important to follow the manufacturer’s directions and warnings for use.
A number of studies have demonstrated the efficacy of fenbendazole in treating various parasites in laboratory animals. It has been shown to have antiparasitic activity against nematodes such as Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Ancylostoma tubaeforme, Baylisascaris procyonis, and Crenosoma vulpis; cestodes such as Mesocestoides spp. and Taenia spp; and trematodes such as Heterobilharzia americana and Paragonimus kellicotti. In addition, extended fenbendazole therapy has been shown to be safe and effective in decreasing ascarid burdens in puppies.
Recently, a study at our institution showed that the anthelmintic fenbendazole could suppress tumors in SCID mice. The mice were fed a standard diet, or a fenbendazole-containing diet. Initially, complete blood counts were comparable between the control and test groups, with a paucity of lymphocytes in all groups. However, at study termination the fenbendazole-plus-vitamin diet group had significantly smaller total white cell and neutrophil values than did the standard-diet group.
The authors suggest that fenbendazole, when used in conjunction with supplementary vitamins, has synergistic effects in reducing the size of tumors, thus preventing compression and necrosis in the adjacent tissues. The fenbendazole and vitamin interaction may occur through multiple pathways, including oxidative stress and the inhibition of cell growth. This synergistic effect of fenbendazole and vitamin antioxidants may have significant implications for human tumor research, wherein a combination of these drugs could lead to improved cancer xenograft tumor suppression. However, further investigation into the mechanisms of this phenomenon is needed. Nevertheless, if the results of this study are replicated by other laboratories, it may help to develop more potent anthelmintic treatments in the future. This would be beneficial in a variety of fields, such as cancer research and the development of novel vaccines. Moreover, a standardized treatment regimen could serve as a useful tool in improving the overall quality of xenograft-based immunological studies. This is a significant advance in the field of cancer immunotherapy and may open new avenues for researchers to explore. fenben lab fenbendazol