Albendazole, also known as albendazolum, is a medication used for the treatment of a variety of parasitic worm infestations. It is useful for giardiasis, trichuriasis, filariasis, neurocysticercosis, hydatid disease, pinworm disease, and ascariasis, among other diseases. It is taken orally.Common side effects include nausea, abdominal pains, and headaches. Potentially serious side effects include bone marrow suppression which usually improves on stopping the medication. Liver inflammation has been reported and those with prior liver problems are at greater risk. It is pregnancy category C in the United States and category D in Australia, meaning it may cause harm if taken by pregnant women. Albendazole is a broad-spectrum antihelminthic agent of the benzimidazole type.Albendazole was developed in 1975. It is on the World Health Organizations List of Essential Medicines. Medical uses
Albendazole is an effective treatment for:

Flatworms
Fasciolosis
Cestodes (tapeworms), as an alternative to praziquantel or niclosamide for adult beef tapeworms (Taenia saginata) and as an alternative to praziquantel for pork tapeworms (T. solium). It is also given for infections by T. crassiceps. Though praziquantel is often better at treating tapeworm infections, albendazole is used more often in endemic countries due to being cheaper and having a broader spectrum.Cysticercosis (especially neurocysticercosis), which is caused by the larval form of the pork tapeworm (i.e. albendazole is the drug of choice for larval pork tapeworms, but not adult pork tapeworms). Old cysts are not affected.
It is also used off-label to treat endoparasites in goats and pigs. Albendazole has been used as an anthelminthic and for control of flukes in a variety of animal species, including cattle, sheep, goats, swine, camels, dogs, cats, elephants, poultry, and others. Side effects include anorexia in dogs and lethargy, depression, and anorexia in cats, with more than 10% of dogs and cats having anorexia. Of dogs and cats, 1–10% experience elevated liver enzymes, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Less than 1% experience neutropenia or aplastic anemia, though these require a use of at least 5 days. While it is also associated with bone marrow suppression and toxicity in cats and dogs at high doses, albendazole has a higher margin of safety in other species. Thus, it is usually only prescribed in cats and dogs when an infection is present that is resistant to the commonly prescribed metronidazole and fenbendazole.It is extensively used for ruminant livestock in Latin America. It is marketed for this purpose by Zoetis (formerly Pfizer Animal Health) in numerous countries (including the United States and Canada) as Valbazen in oral suspension and paste formulations; by Interchemie in the Netherlands and elsewhere as Albenol-100; by Channelle Animal Health Ltd. in the United Kingdom as Albex; and by Ravensdown in New Zealand (as Albendazole).