Niclosamide is a teniacide in the anthelmintic family especially effective against cestodes that infect humans. It is also used as a piscicide. It is stressed that while antihelmintics are a drug family used to treat worm infections, Niclosamide is used specifically to treat tapeworms and is not effective against other worms such as pinworms or roundworms. It is a chewable tablet taken orally, dosage depending on type of worm and patient's age and/or weight. Niclosamide molecules are lethal to tapeworms upon contact.
Side effects: The medication can have side effects such as abdominal pain, anorexia, diarrhea, and . Rarely, dizziness, skin rash, drowsiness, perianal itching, and an unpleasant taste.
Mechanism of action: According to an article in Nature, niclosamide uncouples oxidative phosphorylation in the tapeworm.