Tag: Parasiticides

In recent years, the antiparasitic drug ivermectin has garnered attention for potential uses beyond its approved applications for conditions like river blindness and scabies. One area of interest is its interaction with metabolic pathways, leading many to question: can ivermectin lower cholesterol? The answer lies in the distinction between animal research and established human treatments.

Globally, scabies affects over 200 million people at any given time, making effective treatments crucial [1.11.1, 1.11.2]. This guide answers the question, 'What drugs are acaricides?', by detailing the medications used to kill ticks and mites, which are responsible for such widespread infestations.

Originally developed in the 1970s by German pharmaceutical company Hoechst AG, fenbendazole is now produced by a number of companies, with Merck Animal Health being one of the most prominent manufacturers. The patent for fenbendazole has long since expired, opening the market to a variety of generic and branded veterinary products.

In 2015, the Nobel Prize was awarded for the discovery of avermectins, the natural compounds from which ivermectin is derived. The question of *where is ivermectin found naturally?* is often misunderstood, as the drug itself does not exist in nature; instead, it is a modified version of compounds produced by a unique soil bacterium.