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Nitazoxanide for giardiasis

Examples
Brand Name	Generic Name	Chemical Name
Alinia	nitazoxanide

How It Works

The exact way this medicine kills the giardia parasite is not known. The medicine may interfere with the metabolism of the parasite, causing its death.

Why It Is Used

Nitazoxanide is approved to treat giardiasis in children and adults.

How Well It Works

The effectiveness of nitazoxanide is similar to metronidazole for the treatment of giardiasis.¹

Side Effects

The frequency of side effects from taking nitazoxanide was no greater than that caused by a placebo. The most common side effects were:

Belly pain.
Diarrhea.
Vomiting.
Headache.

Some people also developed yellowing of the whites of the eyes while taking the medicine. But this went away soon after the people stopped taking the medicine.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

Nitazoxanide also works for treating infections with the parasite Cryptosporidium.

Nitazoxanide comes in liquid and pill forms, so it is easier for some people to take.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

References

Citations
Tan TQ (2009). Giardiasis. In RD Feigin et al., eds., Feigin and Cherry's Textbook of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 6th ed., vol. 2, pp. 2852–2858. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.

By:

Healthwise Staff

Last Revised: September 30, 2009

Medical Review:

E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine
W. David Colby IV, MSc, MD, FRCPC - Infectious Disease

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.