Indication

Used for the treatment of individual patients with certain filarial diseases including tropical pulmonary eosinophilia, loiasis, and lymphatic filariasis caused by infection with Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, or Brugia timori.

Pharmacodynamics

Diethylcarbamazine is an anthelmintic drug that does not resemble other antiparasitic compounds. It is a synthetic organic compound which is highly specific for several parasites and does not contain any toxic metallic elements. Diethylcarbamazine continues to be the mainstay for treatment of patients with lymphatic filariasis and loiasis.

Mechanism of action

The mechanism of action of diethylcarbamazine is thought to involve sensitizing the microfilariae to phagocytosis. One study showed that diethylcarbamazine's activity against Brugia malayi microfilariae is dependent on inducible nitric-oxide synthase and the cyclooxygenase pathway. It confirmed the important role of the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway in diethylcarbamazine's mechanism of action in vivo and showes that in addition to its effects on the 5-lipoxygenase pathway, it targets the cyclooxygenase pathway and COX-1.