Niridazole is a schistosomicide

Schistosomicide

A schistosomicide is a drug used to combat schistosomiasis.Examples listed in MeSH include:* amoscanate* arteether* artemether* chloroxylenol* hycanthone* lucanthone* meclonazepam* niridazole* oltipraz* oxamniquineAnother example is praziquantel....

. It is used to treat schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease caused by several species of trematodes , a parasitic worm of the genus Schistosoma. Snails often act as an intermediary agent for the infectious diseases until a new human host is found...

, the helmintic disease caused by certain flatworms (trematodes) from the genus Schistosoma

Schistosoma

A genus of trematodes, Schistosoma, commonly known as blood-flukes and bilharzia, includes flatworms which are responsible for a highly significant parasitic infection of humans by causing the disease schistosomiasis, and are considered by the World Health Organization as the second most...

(formerly Bilharzia). It is also known by its trade name Ambilgar. It is usually is given as tablets. Niridazole has central nervous system

Central nervous system

The central nervous system is the part of the nervous system that integrates the information that it receives from, and coordinates the activity of, all parts of the bodies of bilaterian animals—that is, all multicellular animals except sponges and radially symmetric animals such as jellyfish...

 toxicity and can cause dangerous side effects, such as hallucination

Hallucination

A hallucination, in the broadest sense of the word, is a perception in the absence of a stimulus. In a stricter sense, hallucinations are defined as perceptions in a conscious and awake state in the absence of external stimuli which have qualities of real perception, in that they are vivid,...

s. Also, it may cause allergic reactions in sensitive people. However, it is one of the most effective schistosomicide drugs.

It has recently also been investigated for use in the treatment of periodontitis.

Mechanism of action

Niridazole is rapidly concentrated in the parasite and inhibits oogenesis

Oogenesis

Oogenesis, ovogenesis or oögenesis is the creation of an ovum . It is the female form of gametogenesis. The male equivalent is spermatogenesis...

 and spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis

Spermatogenesis is the process by which male primary germ cells undergo division, and produce a number of cells termed spermatogonia, from which the primary spermatocytes are derived. Each primary spermatocyte divides into two secondary spermatocytes, and each secondary spermatocyte into two...

. The compound also inhibits the phosphofructokinase

Phosphofructokinase

Phosphofructokinase-1 is the most important regulatory enzyme of glycolysis. It is an allosteric enzyme made of 4 subunits and controlled by many activators and inhibitors...

 enzyme

Enzyme

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. In enzymatic reactions, the molecules at the beginning of the process, called substrates, are converted into different molecules, called products. Almost all chemical reactions in a biological cell need enzymes in order to occur at rates...

, leading to glycogen depletion and hepatic shift.