Ivermectina Genfar

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Ivermectina Genfar

Medically reviewed

Laura Arias

Last updated on 22/12/2025

This page provides general, reference-level information compiled from official medical sources. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For decisions about your health, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Overview of Ivermectina Genfar

What is Ivermectina Genfar?

Ivermectina Genfar is a pharmaceutical formulation containing ivermectin, a broad-spectrum antiparasitic agent. It belongs to a class of medications known as avermectins, which are derived from the fermentation products of the soil bacterium Streptomyces avermitilis.

Therapeutic Purpose

This medication is primarily utilized to treat infections caused by specific internal and external parasites. It works by interfering with the nerve and muscle functions of the parasites, leading to their paralysis and eventual elimination from the body.

Common Applications

In clinical practice, Ivermectina Genfar is frequently indicated for the management of various parasitic conditions, including:

  • Strongyloidiasis: An intestinal infection caused by the roundworm Strongyloides stercoralis.
  • Onchocerciasis: Also known as river blindness, caused by the bite of infected blackflies carrying Onchocerca volvulus larvae.
  • Ectoparasitic Infestations: It may be used in certain cases to address external parasites such as the mites responsible for scabies or head lice.

Mechanism of Action

The active ingredient binds selectively to specific channels in the parasite's nerve and muscle cells. This binding increases the permeability of the cell membrane to chloride ions, causing a state of hyperpolarization that results in the death of the parasite while generally remaining well-tolerated by the human host.

What side effects are possible with Ivermectina Genfar?

Possible Side Effects and Safety Information

Adverse reactions associated with Ivermectin (Ivermectina Genfar) are officially documented by regulatory authorities, with specific classifications concerning frequency and the body systems affected. These descriptions adhere strictly to governmental safety reports.


Adverse Reaction Scope

Category Regulatory Documentation Points
Frequency Classification Many side effects, including pruritus (itching), dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, and headache, are generally classified as Common in regulatory materials. Transient increases in liver enzyme levels may also be common.
System-Organ Classes Officially reported effects involve the Gastrointestinal Disorders, Nervous System Disorders, and Skin and Subcutaneous Tissue Disorders (e.g., rash, urticaria). Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders such as transient eosinophilia and lymphadenopathy are also documented.
Serious Adverse Reactions Regulatory documents list the potential for rare, but serious, events such as seizures and encephalopathy (brain disorder), particularly in the context of co-infection. Very rare, severe skin reactions, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN), have also been reported.

Population-Specific and Time-Related Safety Patterns

  • Population-Specific Considerations: A critical warning exists for patients co-infected with high microfilarial loads of Loa loa, who face a documented risk of severe or fatal encephalopathy. Safety and effectiveness have not been established in children weighing less than 15 kg.
  • Time-Related Safety Pattern: Treatment for Onchocerciasis may be followed by the Mazzotti reaction (fever, rash, orthostatic hypotension, joint pain). This reaction is a time-specific safety pattern that occurs shortly after the first dose and is understood to result from the body's inflammatory response to dying parasites.
  • Safety Restrictions: A known hypersensitivity to Ivermectin or any component of the formulation is noted as a contraindication.

The official safety information structures the risk profile by clearly separating common, expected reactions from rare, serious risks and explicitly highlighting the specific, non-universal constraints tied to co-existing parasitic infections.

Overdose and Emergency Response

Overdose and When to Seek Help

The primary danger of Ivermectina overdose, typically resulting from inappropriately high doses or ingestion of unauthorized products like veterinary formulations, is severe, multi-system toxicity, including life-threatening central nervous system (CNS) effects.

Overdose has been officially linked to high-level adverse outcomes, including seizures, coma, and death.

System Documented Overdose Manifestations
Gastrointestinal Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
Neurological (CNS) Headache, dizziness, confusion, disorientation, hallucinations, loss of coordination (ataxia), tremors, decreased consciousness, seizures, coma
Cardiovascular Hypotension (low blood pressure), tachycardia (fast heart rate)

Immediate Action and Emergency Guidance

Emergency medical attention is required immediately for any suspected overdose. Because toxicity can be profound and life-threatening, do not wait for symptoms to worsen.

Official guidance specifies that the victim should be taken immediately to the nearest hospital or emergency room, or the national poison control center hotline should be called for expert medical advice. If the person has collapsed, is having a seizure, or cannot be awakened, emergency services must be contacted without delay.

Management in an overdose situation is generally supportive, as there is no specific antidote. Measures like gastric decontamination with activated charcoal may be considered in appropriate cases.

Therapeutic Uses of Ivermectina Genfar

Ivermectina Genfar is commonly used to treat a wide array of parasitic conditions that cause significant symptoms and health burden. This medicine is recognized for its role in managing various parasitic diseases, applied across domains where additional symptomatic support is needed.

It is used for managing tropical diseases such as Onchocerciasis (River Blindness) and Lymphatic Filariasis. It is also relevant for internal infections like Strongyloidiasis (intestinal threadworm) and external infestations such as scabies and head lice. It helps address symptom clusters that may become intense or disruptive, particularly those related to persistent itching and chronic abdominal discomfort.

“The treatment is relevant in contexts involving heightened systemic burden from parasitic activity and supports the patient during difficult episodes by easing distress.”

Quick Fact: Relief for Persistent Skin Symptoms

Assisting with parasite clearance contributes to improved day-to-day comfort by resolving the severe, unrelenting pruritus and skin lesions associated with ectoparasitic infestations. It is relevant for managing symptoms that interfere with daily functioning in conditions involving visual or lymphatic symptom patterns.

Eligibility and Restrictions for Use

The use of Ivermectina Genfar is strictly governed by regulatory classifications that define official eligibility and exclusion criteria, ensuring use aligns with documented data.


Who Must Not Use the Medicine

The medicine is contraindicated and must not be used by any patient with a known hypersensitivity or allergy to Ivermectin or to any of the product’s components. This prohibition is absolute, as stated in the prescribing information.


Population Eligibility Rules

Age and Weight Restrictions

  • Safety and effectiveness of the oral tablet have not been established in children weighing less than 15 kilograms of body weight.
  • Clinical studies did not include sufficient numbers of subjects aged 65 years and over to fully determine their response, leading to general caution advised for older adults.

Pregnancy and Lactation Status

  • Use is generally not recommended during pregnancy because its safety has not been established in humans.
  • For breastfeeding mothers, use is conditional and should only be undertaken when the benefit to the mother outweighs the possible risk to the newborn, as the drug is excreted in human milk.

Special Conditions and Comorbidities

  • Individuals with significant exposure to Loa loa endemic areas require a pre-treatment assessment before use.
  • Caution is advised for patients with impaired hepatic function due to the drug’s metabolism route.

What should I know about interactions with other medicines?

Interaction Map: Interactions with other medicines and products — official regulatory information for Ivermectina Genfar

Interaction Scope

Medicinal product categories with documented interactions include P-glycoprotein (P-gp) Inhibitors, CYP3A4 Inhibitors, Oral Vitamin K Antagonists (Anticoagulants), and microfilaricidal drugs. Specific interacting medicines noted in post-marketing reports and regulatory documents include Warfarin and Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC). Co-consumption of alcohol is also documented as an interaction.

Mechanistic basis of interactions

The pharmacokinetic basis involves Ivermectin acting as a substrate for the P-glycoprotein efflux transporter and undergoing primary metabolism via the Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzyme pathway. Co-administration with inhibitors of these systems can increase Ivermectin plasma concentrations. Pharmacodynamic interactions involve an additive effect, noted as an enhanced anticoagulant effect with Warfarin and additive CNS effects with alcohol.

Timing and Restriction Notes

The oral tablet must be taken on an empty stomach because food is documented to increase the drug's oral bioavailability. A key population-specific restriction notes that co-administration with DEC is not recommended in patients with a high Loa loa microfilaremia load due to the increased risk of severe adverse reactions.

Resulting Interaction Structure

Official regulatory documents define the product’s structure primarily through the P-gp and CYP3A4 enzyme pathways, which dictate constraints on co-administration with inhibitors of either system. The profile formally documents the risk of excessive anticoagulation and additive sedative effects, alongside an essential timing requirement linked to food intake.

Mechanism of Action

The action of Ivermectina Genfar is defined by its selective neurophysiological effect exerted exclusively against parasitic organisms. The active ingredient, Ivermectin, targets molecular structures unique to invertebrates, initiating a rapid cascade that results in motor system collapse.

Ivermectin acts as a direct agonist on the Glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCl), a molecular structure found only in the parasite's nerve and muscle cells. Ivermectin binding causes these channels to open and remain in a prolonged, "locked-open" state, leading to a massive, sustained influx of negatively charged chloride ions (Cl^-).

This overwhelming influx rapidly induces severe hyperpolarization of the parasitic cell membranes, effectively silencing their electrical excitability. This failure of signal transmission causes flaccid paralysis—the loss of muscle tone—which results in the inhibition of essential functions like the pharyngeal pump required for feeding. The resulting immobilization and inability to feed are the primary physiological effects that lead to the death of the parasitic organism.

The mechanism is intrinsically limited by two factors: the lack of GluCl channels in mammals, and the presence of the P-glycoprotein efflux pump at the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This pump actively removes Ivermectin from the human central nervous system, ensuring the drug's neurophysiological mechanism remains functionally confined to the target parasitic organisms.

Dosage and Administration Information

This section summarizes the usage and administration instructions for Ivermectin oral tablets.

Administration Guidelines

Instruction Component Requirement
Route Oral (swallowed with water)
Timing Administer on an empty stomach (e.g., several hours before or after a meal)
Frequency Typically a single dose regimen
Preparation Tablets must be swallowed whole with water
Pediatric Use Generally restricted to children who weigh at least 15 kg

Dosing and Re-treatment Schedule

Dosage is determined by the patient's body weight in kilograms (kg), requiring a weight-based dose calculation. For certain conditions, the single dose is calculated to deliver approximately 200 mug per kg of body weight.

While most protocols involve a single administration event, re-treatment schedules are common for long-term parasitic management. Instructions for specific infections may require subsequent single doses at intervals such as 3, 6, or 12 months after the initial dose.

Procedural Summary

  1. Determine Dose: The required number of tablets is calculated based on the patient's weight and the specific dosage table provided in the product information.
  2. Administer: Take all prescribed tablets at once as a single, combined dose.
  3. Timing Constraint: Ensure the dose is taken with water on an empty stomach to adhere to labeled administration conditions.

Missed Dose

Since Ivermectin is typically given as a single-dose treatment, the concept of a missed dose often does not apply. If a scheduled follow-up dose is missed, patients should contact their prescriber to determine the appropriate time to take the delayed dose.

Recent Clinical Evidence

Recent Clinical Evidence: Ivermectin

Ivermectina Genfar contains ivermectin, an antiparasitic agent that has been extensively studied in clinical research. The most robust evidence for ivermectin's efficacy remains in the treatment of parasitic diseases for which it is approved by regulatory bodies, such as onchocerciasis (river blindness) and intestinal strongyloidiasis (threadworm infection).

Evidence in Approved Uses

Clinical trials and mass drug administration programs consistently support ivermectin's use in targeting microfilariae, the immature worms responsible for onchocerciasis, and the intestinal stages of Strongyloides stercoralis. These studies typically report a high clearance rate for these parasites, though retreatment may be necessary to manage the full life cycle of the adult parasites in some conditions.

Evidence for Off-Label Uses

Following the identification of the drug's antiviral properties in laboratory studies, ivermectin was investigated in numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) globally for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. Large-scale, well-designed clinical trials have collectively provided data on this off-label use. The prevailing conclusion from these trials and subsequent comprehensive reviews indicates that ivermectin does not provide a statistically significant benefit in reducing the risk of death, hospitalization, or progression to severe disease in patients with COVID-19.

Authoritative health organizations have reviewed the body of evidence and generally conclude that the currently available data do not demonstrate that ivermectin is effective for the treatment of COVID-19 in humans. Consequently, they recommend that the drug should not be used for this purpose outside of controlled clinical trials.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Common questions about Ivermectina Genfar (FAQ)


Q: Is it safe to drink alcohol when I'm taking Ivermectin?

According to official product information, alcohol consumption is documented as a known interaction with Ivermectin. This interaction may result in additive sedative effects, or increased drowsiness. Product information notes this potential for increased drowsiness when the medicine is used.


Q: Is Ivermectin safe for a 1-year-old child?

Regulatory documents indicate that the safety and effectiveness of Ivermectin oral tablets have not been established for pediatric patients weighing less than 15 kilograms. Consequently, use in children below this weight threshold is limited by the lack of established safety and effectiveness data.


Q: How many tablets do I take?

The number of tablets required for treatment is not a standard count but is determined precisely by the patient’s body weight in kilograms. This calculation is based on a weight-specific dosage table provided in the official product information. Patients are instructed to follow the exact number of tablets prescribed by a healthcare professional.


Q: What is the most effective time of day to take the tablet (morning vs. evening)?

Official administration instructions specify that the dose must be taken on an empty stomach with water to maximize absorption. However, regulatory information does not specify whether the morning or evening is a more effective time of day for taking the tablet, as long as the empty stomach requirement is met.


Q: Can I crush or split the Ivermectin tablets to make them easier to swallow?

Official administration instructions specify that the tablets must be swallowed whole with water as a single combined dose. The product's official labeling indicates that the tablets should not be altered by crushing or splitting.


Q: Can I use Ivermectin cream or lotion for head lice?

A specific topical formulation of Ivermectin (lotion) is approved by regulatory bodies for the treatment of head lice infestations. Use of Ivermectin in topical form is based on the specific product formulation and its official indications, which may differ from the oral tablet.

How should Ivermectina Genfar be stored and disposed of?

How to Store and Dispose of Ivermectina Genfar?

The official storage and disposal guidelines for Ivermectina Genfar (Ivermectin tablets) are strictly defined in regulatory documents to maintain product quality and ensure safety.


Official Storage Requirements

The medicine must be stored at room temperature, generally not exceeding 30 C, and must be kept from freezing. Tablets must be protected from excess heat, moisture, and direct light by remaining in their original container, which must be tightly closed.

Storage Constraint Requirement
Temperature Store at room temperature (max 30 C). Do not freeze.
Container Keep in the original, tightly closed container (protects from light).
Safety Must be stored out of the sight and reach of children.

Official Disposal Instructions

To prevent environmental release, unused or expired Ivermectina Genfar must not be thrown away in household waste or flushed down the sink/toilet. Disposal must strictly adhere to the local requirements and procedures specified by a healthcare professional or pharmacist.

Attention! Always consult to a doctor or pharmacist before using pills or medicines.

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