Fenben lab fenbendazole is the most pure pharmaceutical grade of this drug available. It comes as a powder with a plastic scoop enclosed in the bottle or as pre measured capsules. It contains poloxymer 188 and b-cyclodextrin excipients which help fenbendazole to work more effectively.
It is also known that fenbendazole targets cancer by binding to and disrupting tubulin microtubules. Some animal studies show that it eradicates established tumors and prevents experimental brain cancer grafts from growing.
Safety
Fenbendazole is a member of the broad-spectrum benzimidazole carbamate family (I coined it Benz) and has been in veterinary and human clinical use for roughly six decades. It is highly effective against a wide variety of parasites and has minimal side effects.
During an 8-wk facility treatment for Aspiculuris tetraptera pinworms, fenbendazole was administered to SCID mice in a sterilizable diet that was supplemented with vitamins A, C, D, E, and K (Global 2918, Harlan Teklad). In the absence of supplemental vitamins, this well-established xenograft model typically results in tumor growth within 21 d.
Fenben Pure is a 22% powdered fenbendazole that is sold with a plastic scoop enclosed in the bottle or in pre measured capsules. The scoop measures 1 gram and each serving contains 222 mg of fenbendazole with 778 mg of excipients. Adding DMSO to Fenben Pure dissolves the fenbendazole and makes it water soluble so it can be rapidly and easily absorbed into the blood stream.
Dosage
Fenbendazole is a benzimidazole drug that acts against helminths by inhibiting the polymerization of tubulin. Tubulin is a component of microtubules, which provide structure and shape to cells. Fenbendazole also exerts anticancer effects in cells by interacting with and blocking the formation of microtubules.
In an EMT6 tumor model in BALB/cRw mice, three daily i.p. injections of fenbendazole reduced tumor volume by more than half when compared to untreated controls. This effect was maintained following irradiation of the tumors. Complete blood counts were similar in both the control and treatment groups.
A granulated form of fenbendazole has been shown to be 98%-100% effective at a dosage approved for treatment of dogs and wild felids (50 mg/kg bwt/day for 3 days) against the gastrointestinal nematodes Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Ancylostoma caninum, Trichuris vulpis, Dipylidium caninum and Strongylus vulgaris, as well as against Taenia tapeworms in 19 experimentally infected Beagle puppies. It has also been effective against naturally occurring cestodes and trematodes in dogs and cats.
Side Effects
Fenbendazole is a benzimidazole and is the most widely used anthelmintic for research mice. It presents exclusive action as an anthelmintic and does not alter the organic functioning of the host. Nevertheless, it has been shown in in vitro experiments to modulate cellular microenvironments through binding to b-tubulin. In one study, fenbendazole decreased the percentage composition of leukocytes in the blood and number of goblet cells in lung sections. It also inhibited the activation of Th2-derived cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.
In a series of experiments, fenbendazole reduced tumor volume in BALB/c mice with EMT6 lung cancer cells transplanted in vivo. However, despite the reduction in tumor volume, the number of spontaneous lung metastases was not affected by treatment. Tumor growth after different treatments was rigorously compared by measuring the time required for each tumor to reach four-times its initial volume. It was found that fenbendazole, but not diclofenac, significantly reduced this rate of tumor growth.
Precautions
Fenbendazole must be given for 3-5 consecutive days to kill parasites, since it must halt cell division for a specific duration. For this reason, it should not be used in pet poultry who are in the early stages of growth or during molting as it may affect their feather development. Moreover, it should not be administered to birds who are suspected of having Capillaria infestations.
To examine how cancer patients acquire fenbendazole information and their perceptions about it, 21 lung cancer patients were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were analyzed to identify the acquisition channels of fenbendazole and general cancer information, the quality of the obtained information, and their perceptions toward it.