furazolidone (Furoxone)

Introduction

Tradename: Furoxone.

Indications

• giardiasis
• cholera

Contraindications

• concurrent use of alcohol
• patients < 1 month of age (risk of hemolytic anemia)
• concurrent use of MAO inhibitors
• tyramine-containing foods

pregnancy category = c

safety in lactation = ?

Dosage

• adults: 100 mg PO QID for 7-10 days
• children > 1 month of age:
  • 5.8-8 mg/kg/day divided QID for 7-10 days
  • max 400 mg/day (100 mg/dose)

Tabs: 100 mg.

Liquid: 50 mg/15 mL.

Adverse effects

• common (> 10%)
  • discoloration of urine (brown)
• less common (1-10%)
  • abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea/vomiting, headache
• uncommon (< 1%)
  • leukopenia, skin rash, joint pain, orthostatic hypotension, dizziness, drowsiness, malaise, fever, hypoglycemia, agranulocytosis, hemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency

Drug interactions

• alcohol (concurrent use contraindicated, disulfiram- like reaction)
• MAO inhibitors (concurrent use contraindicated)

• drug interaction(s) of antibiotics with warfarin

Laboratory

• antibiotic susceptibility furazolidone

More general terms

• antiprotozoal agent

Additional terms

• Giardia lamblia; Giardia intestinalis

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=3425
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=95785