Lucanthone hydrochloride; a review.

THIS REVIEW OF THE PUBLISHED WORK ON THE TREATMENT OF BILHARZIASIS WITH LUCANTHONE HYDROCHLORIDE DRAWS ATTENTION TO THE INCONCLUSIVE NATURE OF MANY OF THE TRIALS CARRIED OUT SO FAR: either the dosage was inadequate or the patients were not followed up for a sufficient length of time. The author stresses the importance of obtaining a high concentration of lucanthone in the body fluids. He suggests that better results might be obtained if the total dose were given in two days or even as a single, massive dose. This method might also reduce the side effects, which do not appear, as a rule, until the second or third day.