What is "diloxanide"

n. An antiparasitic drug.

Diloxanide ( INN) is a luminal amebicide used in the treatment of amebiasis. It is formulated as the furoate ester diloxanide furoate. It is considered the luminal agent of choice for mild intestinal amebiasis or asymptomatic cyst carriers. It can also be added to metronidazole (active drug in luminal and extraintestinal amebiasis) in acute amebic dysentery as well as hepatic abscess(In hepatic abscess it is for the control of cysts in the lumen which may cause relapse). The drug was discovered by The Boots Company Plc in 1956 and introduced as Furamide. The Furamide brand is now owned by Abbott Laboratories. It is not available in the United States. In India it is available as Amicline by Franco-Indian.

Diloxanide furoate is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, a list of the most important medication needed in a basic health system.