Pyrantel is an anthelmintic used to treat helminth infections. Pyrantel was initially described in 1965 by researchers from Pfizer who sought cyclic amidines with suitable pharmacokinetic properties (specifically, duration of action) for use as an anthelmintic drug.
- Mechanism
- Curator reviewed · 2 references
By promoting the release of acetylcholine, inhibiting cholinesterase, and stimulating ganglionic neurons, pyrantel serves as a depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent in helminths. This causes extensive depolarization of the helminth muscle membrane, resulting in tension to the helminth's muscles, leading to paralysis and release of their attachment to the host organism intestinal walls.
This action is unlike piperazine, which is a hyperpolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent that causes relaxation of the helminth muscles, leading to a subsequent detachment from the intestinal wall. Excretion of the parasites in the feces occurs by normal peristalsis.
- Primary indication
- For the treatment of enterobiasis including roundworm (ascariasis), pinworm (enterobius) and hookworm (strongyloides) and hookworm (ancylostoma) in the pyrantel pamoate form.Curator reviewed · 2 structured indications
- Formula / weight
- C11H14N2S · 206.31 g/mol (avg)
- First approval
- Canada, 2007
- Brand names
Resolves to
YSAUAVHXTIETRK-AATRIKPKSA-NSMILES[H]\C(=C(\[H])C1=NCCCN1C)C1=CC=CS1What you can answer from here — as of September 23, 2026
Which drugs share a target with Pyrantel, and which of those have an active Phase 3 trial?
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