Vet World Vol.12 August-2019 Article-5
Review Article
Veterinary World, 12(8): 1204-1211
https://doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2019.1204-1211
Current therapeutic applications and pharmacokinetic modulations of ivermectin
2. Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India.
3. Division of Pathology, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India.
4. . Division of Surgery, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India.
Background and Aim: Ivermectin is considered to be a wonder drug due to its broad-spectrum antiparasitic activity against both ectoparasites and endoparasites (under class of endectocide) and has multiple applications in both veterinary and human medicine. In particular, ivermectin is commonly used in the treatment of different kinds of infections and infestations. By altering the vehicles used in the formulations, the pharmacokinetic properties of different ivermectin preparations can be altered. Since its development, various vehicles have been evaluated to assess the efficacy, safety, and therapeutic systemic concentrations of ivermectin in different species. A subcutaneous route of administration is preferred over a topical or an oral route for ivermectin due to superior bioavailability. Different formulations of ivermectin have been developed over the years, such as stabilized aqueous formulations, osmotic pumps, controlled release capsules, silicone carriers, zein microspheres, biodegradable microparticulate drug delivery systems, lipid nanocapsules, solid lipid nanoparticles, sustained-release ivermectin varnish, sustained-release ivermectin-loaded solid dispersion suspension, and biodegradable subcutaneous implants. However, several reports of ivermectin resistance have been identified in different parts of the world over the past few years. Continuous use of suboptimal formulations or sub-therapeutic plasma concentrations may predispose an individual to resistance toward ivermectin. The current research trend is focused toward the need for developing ivermectin formulations that are stable, effective, and safe and that reduce the number of doses required for complete clinical cure in different parasitic diseases. Therefore, single-dose long-acting preparations of ivermectin that provide effective therapeutic drug concentrations need to be developed and commercialized, which may revolutionize drug therapy and prophylaxis against various parasitic diseases in the near future. The present review highlights the current advances in pharmacokinetic modulation of ivermectin formulations and their potent therapeutic applications, issues related to emergence of ivermectin resistance, and future trends of ivermectin usage.
Keywords: ivermectin, ivermectin resistance, pharmacokinetic modulation, therapeutic applications.
How to cite this article: Sharun K, Shyamkumar TS, Aneesha VA, Dhama K, Pawde AM, Pal A (2019) Current therapeutic applications and pharmacokinetic modulations of ivermectin, Veterinary World, 12(8): 1204-1211.
Received: 17-05-2019 Accepted: 29-06-2019 Published online: 08-08-2019
Corresponding author: Khan Sharun E-mail: sharunkhansk@gmail.com
DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2019.1204-1211
Copyright: Sharun, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.