Mebendazole (Vermox)
Key points
- VERMOX® (mebendazole) is a (synthetic) broad-spectrum anthelmintic available as chewable tablets, each containing 100 mg of mebendazole.
- Mebendazole, an antiworm medication, kills parasites.
- It usually is taken twice a day, in the morning and evening, for 3 days or as a single (one-time) dose.
- However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule.
VERMOX ® (MEBENDAZOLE) Chewable Tablets
VERMOX® (mebendazole) is a (synthetic) broad-spectrum anthelmintic available as chewable tablets, each containing 100 mg of mebendazole. Inactive ingredients are: colloidal silicon dioxide, corn starch, hydrogenated vegetable oil, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium saccharin, sodium starch glycolate, talc, tetrarome orange, and FD&C yellow No. 6.
Mebendazole
(me ben' da zole)
Brand name(s): Vermox
Why is this medication prescribed?
Mebendazole, an antiworm medication, kills parasites. It is used to treat roundworm, hookworm, pinworm, whipworm, and other worm infections.
This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
How should this medicine be used?
Mebendazole comes as a chewable tablet. It usually is taken twice a day, in the morning and evening, for 3 days or as a single (one-time) dose. You may chew the tablets, swallow them whole, or crush and mix them with food. Treatment may have to be repeated in 2-3 weeks. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take mebendazole exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking mebendazole,
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to mebendazole or any other drugs.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), and vitamins.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had stomach or liver disease.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking mebendazole, call your doctor.
What should I do if I forget a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
What side effects can this medication cause?
Although side effects from mebendazole are not common, they can occur. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
health.am provides general information, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified health professional about your own health.
