azithromycin + ivermectin

This therapeutic combination consists of the macrolide antibiotic **azithromycin** and the antiparasitic agent **ivermectin**, administered orally. It is being investigated by the **Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD)** specifically for the treatment of **pediculosis capitis** (head lice) in Senegal. Ivermectin functions as a broad-spectrum antiparasitic by binding to glutamate-gated chloride channels in invertebrate nerve and muscle cells, leading to hyperpolarization and paralysis of the lice. Azithromycin, while primarily an antibiotic that inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit, is included in this regimen potentially to target essential bacterial endosymbionts (such as *Candidatus* Riesia pediculicola) within the lice or to provide synergistic efficacy against infestations that are resistant to standard treatments.

Other names

Azithromycin and Ivermectin combinationAZIT + IVER