Anthelmintic effect of niclosamide [N-(2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl)-5-chloro-salicylamide)] on Metagonimus infection was carried out to the cases in area of Seomjin-river. The drug, one tablet contains 0.5 g of niclosamide was supplied from Bu-gwang pharmaceutical company in Seoul. Sixty five cases were divided into three groups by the regimen: Group l given 2 g(4 tablets) for one day, Group II for two successive days and Group III for three successive days. Stool examination was done before and 2-3 weeks after the drug administration by formalin-ether concentration and Stoll's dilution egg counting techniques. The results were as follows: Egg negative conversion (cured) and egg reduction (more than 80 percent decrease) rates were 28.6 percent, 10.7 percent in group I, and 31.8 percent, 27.3 percent in group II. But of those in group III treated for three successive days, 73.3 percent was cured and 26.7 percent showed egg reduction, and the general egg reduction rate was 95.1 percent. The results in the present trial suggested that the niclosamide has anthelmintic efficacy when it is used in 2 g for more than three successive days.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda-Metagonimus yokogawai ; niclosamide-chemotherapy-metagonimiasis

The infection of Metagonimus yokogawai has been known to be present nationwidely and endemic in some parts in Korea. In order to select a highly effective compound against Metagonimus infections, the therapeutic effects were observed in 156 cases who were treated with several anthelmintic i.e. bithionol, niclosamide, niclofolan and praziquantel. All of the above drugs showed highly effective to the treatment of metagonimiasis by a single or two medication days. The egg reduction rates were in the range of 80.2 to 100 per cent. However, relatively low cure rates(8.3 to 37.5 percent) were observed in the groups treated by two doses of 30 mg/kg of bithionol, a single day treatment with 100 mg/kg of niclosamide and two doses of 1.0 mg/kg of niclofolan. On the other hand, the high cure rates were observed at the following dose rates of each drugs, i.e. the cure rate of 66.7 percent was obtained at two doses of 100 mg/kg of niclosamide, 88.9 percent of cure rate was observed at two doses of 2.0 mg/kg of niclofolan and a single dose of 10 and 20 mg/kg of praziquantel were shown as 85.0 percent and 88.0 percent of cure rates respectively. But the complete radical cure was obtained in the group treated by two doses of 20 mg/kg of praziquantel in 10 metagonimiasis cases. From the above results praziquantel was shown as the most highly effective against metagonimiasis and it was well tolerated without any side effect. Therefore, praziquantel is a very promising drug for mass treatment against metagonimiasis.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Metagonimus yokogawai-metagonimiasis ; bithionol ; niclosamide ; niclofolan ; praziquantel ; chemotherapy