Nitazoxanide Antiprotozoal Drugs

NITAZOXANIDE

Nitazoxanide is a nitrothiazolyl-salicylamide prodrug. Nitazoxanide was recently approved in the USA for use against Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium parvum. It is rapidly absorbed and converted to tizoxanide and tizoxanide conjugates, which are subsequently excreted in both urine and feces. The active metabolite, tizox-anide, inhibits the pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase pathway. Nitazoxanide appears to have activity against metronidazole-resistant protozoal strains and is well tolerated. Unlike metronida-zole, nitazoxanide and its metabolites appear to be free of mutagenic effects. Other organisms that may be susceptible to nitazoxanide include E histolytica, Helicobacter pylori, Ascaris lum-bricoides, several tapeworms, and Fasciola hepatica. The recom-mended adult dosage is 500 mg twice daily for 3 days.