Levamisole facts for kids

Levamisole is a type of medicine that was once used to help people get rid of parasitic worms. It was also used in some treatments for cancer. Scientists discovered this medicine in 1966.

However, because it could cause serious side effects, levamisole was stopped being sold for human use in countries like the United States in 2000 and Canada in 2003. Safer medicines are now available for people.

Today, levamisole is still used in veterinary medicine to treat livestock (farm animals) for worms.

What is Levamisole?

Levamisole is a chemical compound. It works by affecting the nervous system of worms, which paralyzes them. This allows the body to get rid of the worms. When it was used for cancer, it helped the body's immune system fight the disease.

How it Helped People

For many years, levamisole was a common medicine for people with worm infections. It was especially useful for infections caused by roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms. These tiny worms can live inside the human body and cause health problems.

It was also studied and used as part of chemotherapy for some types of cancer, like colon cancer. The idea was that it could boost the body's natural defenses against cancer cells.

Why it's Not Used for Humans Anymore

Even though levamisole could help, it also had some serious downsides. Some people who took it experienced bad side effects. These included problems with their blood cells, which could make them more likely to get infections. Because of these risks and the development of newer, safer medicines, doctors stopped using levamisole for people.

Levamisole for Animals

While it's no longer a common human medicine, levamisole is still very important in animal health. Farmers and veterinarians use it widely to treat farm animals like cows, sheep, and pigs. It helps keep these animals healthy by getting rid of various types of worms that can affect them. This is important for the animals' well-being and for food safety.

Discovery of Levamisole

Levamisole was first discovered in 1966 by scientists at Janssen Pharmaceutica, a pharmaceutical company in Belgium. Its discovery was a big step forward in treating parasitic infections at the time.

See also

In Spanish: Levamisol para niños