Which of the following statements about amoebicides is LEAST accurate?
Paromomycin and diloxanide furoate are luminal ameobicides. Paromomycin is an efficacious luminal amoebicide, achieving similar or even better clearing of cysts from stools compared to diloxanidc furoate in asymptomatic cyst passers. It is an aminoglycoside antibiotic which closely resembles neomycin. Metronidazole is the main drug in intestinal ameobiasis. Emetine is a potent and directly acting amoebicide - kills trophozoites but has no effect on cysts. It is a local irrirant and has high systemic toxicity, viz, nausea, vomiting (due to CTZ stimulation and gastric irritation), abdominal cramps, diarrhoea, weakness, stiffness of muscles, myositis, hypotension, ECG changes and myocarditis. Hence it is contraindicated in pregnancy and in patients with cardiac disease.
Diloxanide furoate is a luminal amoebicide
Emetine is contraindicated in pregnancy and in patients with cardiac disease
Metronidazole has little activity in the gut lumen
Paromomycin is effective in extraintestinal amoebiasis
Anti-Parasitic Drugs