Secnidazole
Indications
Secnidazole is used for:
Giardiasis, Amoebiasis, Trichomoniasis
Adult Dose
Oral
Trichomoniasis; Amoebiasis; Giardiasis
Adult: 2 g as a single dose.
Severe invasive amoebiasis
Adult: 1.5 g daily as single or in divided doses for 5 days.
Child Dose
Oral
Trichomoniasis; Amoebiasis; Giardiasis
Child: 30 mg/kg as a single dose.
Severe invasive amoebiasis
Child: 30 mg/kg daily for 5 days.
Renal Dose
Administration
Contra Indications
Hypersensitivity; pregnancy (1st trimester) and lactation.
Precautions
Avoid alcohol and disulfiram. Avoid in patients with history of blood disorders.
Pregnancy-Lactation
Pregnancy
Data with secnidazole use in pregnant women are insufficient to inform a drug-associated risk of adverse developmental outcomes
In animal reproduction studies, there were no adverse developmental outcomes when secnidazole was administered orally to pregnant rats and rabbits during organogenesis at doses up to 4 times the clinical dose
Lactation
There is no information on the presence of secnidazole in human milk, the effects on the breastfed child, or the effects on milk production
Other nitroimidazole derivatives are present in human milk Because of the potential for serious adverse reactions, including tumorigenicity, advise patients that breastfeeding is not recommended during treatment with secnidazole and for 96 hr after administration of secnidazole
Interactions
Concurrent disulfiram admin may cause psychotic reactions. Disulfiram-like reactions with alcohol. Cimetidine may prolong half-life.
Potentially Fatal: May potentiate anticoagulant effect of warfarin and increase risk of haemorrhage.
Side Effects
Side effects of Secnidazole :
Nausea, gastralgia, change of taste, metallic taste, stomatitis, urticaria, rashes, leucopenia. Rarely vertigo, moderate neurological, digestive disturbances.
Mode of Action
Secnidazole is active against E histolytica, G lamblia, T vaginalis, Clostridium spp, B fragilis, Gardnerella spp. The drug enters the microorganisms by diffusion and is reduced intracellularly by low oxidation-reduction potential ferredoxin which then result in DNA damage.