Yes, ivermectin is taken as an oral tablet.
Ivermectin is available as an oral tablet formulation (STROMECTOL) and is administered by mouth with water. 1
Formulation Details
The FDA-approved oral formulation comes as 3-mg tablets that are taken as a single dose based on body weight 1. The standard dosing is:
- 200 mcg/kg for strongyloidiasis (single dose)
- 150 mcg/kg for onchocerciasis (single dose)
Patients should take the tablets on an empty stomach with water to optimize absorption, though taking ivermectin with food actually increases bioavailability by approximately 2.5-fold 1.
Alternative Formulations
While the tablet is the standard FDA-approved form, research has examined other oral formulations:
- Oral solution: Shows approximately twice the systemic bioavailability compared to solid formulations (tablets or capsules), with higher peak concentrations and greater drug exposure 2, 3
- Capsules: Have similar bioavailability to tablets 3
The oral solution achieves significantly higher drug exposure (AUC: 1653 ng·h/mL) compared to tablets (1056 ng·h/mL) or capsules (996 ng·h/mL) 2. However, the tablet remains the standard approved formulation for human use.
Important Administration Notes
- Ivermectin has a plasma half-life of approximately 18 hours after oral administration 1
- The drug is metabolized primarily by CYP3A4 in the liver 1
- Azithromycin can significantly increase serum ivermectin concentrations when co-administered 4
- High-fat meals increase bioavailability but standard dosing recommendations specify taking on an empty stomach 1
The tablet formulation is convenient, requires no special administration equipment, and is suitable for mass drug administration programs 5.