Comparative activity of anticestode drugs--praziquantel, niclosamide and Compound 77-6, against Hymenolepis nana.

The activity, in terms of speed of action, of three anticestode drugs against Hymenolepis nana, both in vivo and in vitro, was investigated. Praziquantel was most effective in vivo, but had little action on adult worms and cysticercoids in vitro. Niclosamide, the least effective in vivo, was highly toxic in vitro. Compound 77-6 killed adult worms and cysticercoids in vitro in 10 min and 15 min respectively at 1000 micrograms/ml of drug concentration, but its in vivo effect was intermediate between that of praziquantel and niclosamide.