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Praziquantel Side Effects

The most commonly reported side effects of praziquantel include off label use, product use in unapproved indication, and headache, based on 299 FDA adverse event reports from 2004 to 2025. 11.0% of reports found the drug to be ineffective.

Praziquantel side effects

Percentages show how often each reaction appears relative to total reports for praziquantel.

1
Drug Ineffective11.0%33
2
Off Label Use10.7%32
3
Product Use In Unapproved Indication6.7%20
4
Headache5.4%16
5
Condition Aggravated4.3%13
6
Seizure4.3%13
7
Pyrexia4.0%12
8
Dizziness4.0%12
9
Pyrexia3.3%10
10
Vomiting3.0%9
11
Osteonecrosis3.0%9
12
Product Prescribing Issue3.0%9
13
Drug Exposure During Pregnancy2.7%8
14
Malaise2.7%8
15
Nausea2.7%8

These are voluntary reports and do not establish that praziquantel caused these reactions.

Report severity

82.9%Serious248 reports
34.1%Hospitalizations102 reports
8.7%Fatal26 reports

Seriousness is determined by the reporter, not by OpenClaim.

Praziquantel drug interactions

Other drugs that appear in adverse event reports alongside praziquantel. Drugs flagged as a suspected cause appear in the first column. Drugs taken at the same time but not suspected appear in the second.

Also suspected

1
Albendazole20.1%60
2
Dexamethasone7.7%23
3
Ivermectin5.0%15
4
Ritonavir3.7%11
5
Tenofovir3.7%11
6
Lamivudine3.3%10
7
Prednisone3.0%9
8
Carbamazepine2.7%8
9
Levetiracetam2.7%8
10
Abacavir2.3%7
11
Metronidazole2.3%7
12
Fluconazole2.3%7
13
Zidovudine2.0%6
14
Amoxicillin2.0%6
15
Azithromycin2.0%6

Taken alongside

1
Albendazole12.4%37
2
Dexamethasone7.0%21
3
Aspirin2.7%8
4
Furosemide2.7%8
5
Acetaminophen2.3%7
6
Prednisone2.3%7
7
Sulfamethoxazole2.0%6
8
Trimethoprim2.0%6
9
Isoniazid1.7%5
10
Albuterol1.7%5
11
Enoxaparin-sodium1.7%5
12
Ramipril1.7%5
13
Lisinopril1.7%5
14
Omeprazole1.7%5
15
Prednisolone1.7%5

Co-occurrence in adverse event reports does not establish a drug interaction. Patients often take multiple medications, and these lists reflect prescribing patterns rather than causal relationships. Consult a healthcare provider about potential drug interactions.

Who reports praziquantel side effects

39.8% of praziquantel adverse event reports involve female patients and 50.2% involve male patients. The largest age group is adult at 76%. These figures reflect who reports side effects, not underlying risk.

Sex

Female39.8%
Male50.2%
Unknown10.0%

Age group

< 21.3%
2–117.8%
12–1710.0%
18–6475.7%
65+5.2%

What is praziquantel used for

Conditions and purposes for which patients were taking praziquantel when the adverse event was reported.

Cancer PainCestode InfectionClonorchiasisCervix Cancer MetastaticCestode InfectionClonorchiasisDiphyllobothriasisDrug Use For Unknown IndicationDiphyllobothriasisEchinococciasisEpilepsyEchinococciasisEnterobiasisEvidence Based TreatmentFascioliasis

Showing 15 of 51 indications

Praziquantel brand names and reporting trend

Praziquantel is sold under the brand name Biltricide.

Brand names

Biltricide253

Quarterly reports (20042025)

2005201520202025

An upward trend reflects increased FAERS reporting overall, not necessarily increased risk.

Taking praziquantel with another medication?

Ask OpenClaim about your specific drug combination. Get a sourced report using FDA data, drug labels, and medical literature.