Epsiprantel holds promise of effective cestocide.

Despite the wide spectrum of anthelminthics available, there still remain very few effective anticestocides. Infection with tapeworms poses a tremendous problem both from the public health point of view as well as in terms of difficulties in eradication. In this context, it is pertinent to cite the results obtained by Eckert et al at the Institute for Pathology, Zurich.
In their study, Eckert et al evaluated the efficacy of epsiprantel in helminth-free dogs and cats experimentally infected with protoscoleces of Echinococcus multilocularis. Epsiprantel was given at doses of 5.1 (4.9-5.3) and 5.4 (5.2-5.8) mg/kg body weight (b.w.). Among 8 treated dogs 4 were helminth-free, the other 4 had residual worm burdens (10-70 in 3 dogs, 1480 in 1 dog).
The investigators observed that in 5 cats, single oral treatments with average doses of 2.7 (2.7-2.8) and 5.5 (5.5-5.5) mg/kg b.w. epsiprantel were 100% effective against E. multilocularis 20 days p.i. By the end of the course of treatment, the worm burden from all 10 animals was totally eliminated. In the untreated group of 5 cats the average worm burden was 2864 per animal (individual worm burdens 20-6830).
Eckert et al have reported no side effects of the drug treatment. They conclude that single therapeutic dosages (dogs 5.5 mg, cats 2.75 mg/kg b.w.) of epsiprantel eliminates E. multilocularis to over 99% of the worms.

Reference for further reading:
Eckert, J.Thompson, R.C. Bucklar, H. Bilger, B. Deplazes, P. [Efficacy evaluation of epsiprantel (Cestex) against Echinococcus mutilocularis in dogs and cats. J Berl Munch Tierarztl Wochenschr Berliner Und Munchener Tierarztliche Wochenschrift: V 114:N 3-4:P 121-6, Institut fur Parasitologie, Universite Zurich. eje@isi.ch