Which drug is identified as the prototype anthelmintic agent?

Mebendazole is identified as the prototype anthelmintic agent due to its broad-spectrum efficacy against a variety of intestinal helminths, including nematodes like roundworms and pinworms. It functions primarily by inhibiting microtubule synthesis in helminths, which disrupts their ability to absorb glucose and other nutrients, ultimately leading to their death. Because of its established effectiveness and favorable safety profile, mebendazole serves as a reference point for comparing other anthelmintic drugs in terms of mechanism, therapeutic action, and clinical effectiveness.

While albendazole, pyrantel pamoate, and levamisole are also effective anthelmintics, they each have distinct modes of action and specific uses that do not universally encompass all the helminths treated by mebendazole. For instance, albendazole has similar mechanisms but is broader in action, whereas pyrantel pamoate primarily works as a depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent and has limited efficacy against certain species. Levamisole is noted for its immunomodulatory effects in addition to its anthelmintic properties, but it is mainly utilized in livestock rather than as a frontline therapy for human helminth infections. This