COMPARATIVE-STUDY OF CHEWABLE PYRANTEL PAMOATE - SHOULD STANDARDS FORCHEWABLE TABLETS BE REVISED

Chewable pyrantel pamoate tablets were administered to children random ly assigned to three treatment groups. Individuals in each group were instructed either to swallow whole, to chew and swallow, or to swallow previously pulverized tablets. With respect to Ascaris, results of po sttreatment stool examinations indicated no differences in cure rates and egg reduction rates between the different modes of treatment. Howe ver, for both hookworm and Trichuris, mean egg counts increased for bo th swallow and chew groups, but decreased in the pulverized group, In addition to the highest egg reduction rates, the most parasitological cures were also seen in the pulverized group for these two worms. The status of standards for chewable tablets is discussed, Until the stand ards ale changed it is recommended that all chewable tablets be crushe d before swallowing.