The Wonders of IVERMECTIN

by Allan A. Landrito, M.D.

(December 1, 2024)

“IVERMECTIN saved me from COVID-19!” has become a common expression from people in the Philippines who took Ivermectin during the onslaught of this deadly COVID-19 pandemic. I used to call on people and tell them: “IVERMECTIN will give you the internal protection that you need. Sooner or later, everyone will get infected because this is an airborne infection. It is just a matter of time. I urge you therefore to take Ivermectin regularly, as soon as you get hold of it, to prevent getting Covid-19.” The people who listened and followed this message benefited. Now, they abound with their stories to tell.

As early as June 2020, the medical journal Antiviral Research published an article announcing that “Ivermectin inhibits the replication of SARS CoV-2 in vitro”, as proven by Dr. Kylie Wagstaff and associates at Monash University in Australia. Reaching many doctors in different parts of the world, this knowledge led a number of them to try Ivermectin on their Covid-19 patients. To their amazement, Ivermectin works very effectively against Covid-19. Soon, meta-analyses of the numerous trials that were completed came up with a resounding conclusion that Ivermectin efficiently reduces mortality outcomes by 52% and 50% when given in early treatment and late treatment respectively. And when Ivermectin is used for prevention, then the reduction in mortality outcomes goes up to a staggering 96%. Sadly however, the global adoption for the use of Ivermectin for Covid-19 was only in the number of 36% of all countries. Had there been a global adoption and implementation of Ivermectin, the pandemic could have ended even before December 2021 with a cent per cent certainty and without the need for the vaccines. And so therefore, these perilous consequences of experimental Covid-19 vaccines that we are seeing today should have been avoided. Indeed, Ivermectin could have been the champion for this COVID-19 pandemic! However, there is still good news for today: Ivermectin is the mainstay treatment for Covid-19 vaccine complications.

What is even more intriguing during the pandemic is the fact that the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Medicine Agency (EMA) advised against the use of Ivermectin for Covid-19 despite the remarkable conclusions established by 26 randomized clinical trials that were already available and completed before March 2021. Concomitantly, social media companies censored facts about Ivermectin and maligned the doctors who were using it in their clinical practices. No medicine has ever been so riddled with too many controversies at any time than what was seen until today against Ivermectin.

So, what is IVERMECTIN? Unfortunately, until this day many people and many doctors worldwide are still unaware about this amazing and benevolent medicine. Most people however only came to know about it during the pandemic. The initial awareness of many people however came from distorted information in social media. Those who came to know the truth about Ivermectin were the critical thinkers who sensed the horrendous misinformation taking place amidst suspicious evil agenda by global, international, and national health authorities. Notwithstanding is the fact that Ivermectin is one of only three renowned True Wonder Drugs. Yet surprisingly, most people are unaware about this matter of fact. Being on this category therefore, we can expect that mankind has benefited very significantly about its uses. And this is exactly what Ivermectin has proven to be. Ivermectin is a medicine that has so many exceptional properties: being an anti-parasitic, an antiviral, an antibacterial, an anti-mycobacterium, an immunomodulator, and an anti-cancer agent in one. That is why, doctors who missed the knowledge about this highly maligned natural medicine are losing out on a phenomenal tool which they can be using in the treatment of many different disease conditions and maladies that they are seeing in their day-to-day clinical practices.

Ivermectin is a macrocyclic lactone derived from a culture of an actinomycetes bacteria called Streptomyces avermectinius. Its discovery is the result of decades of long hours of back-breaking work and nerve-wracking ordeal in an intended pursuit of finding a breakthrough medicine in the realms of microbiological sources particularly from the collection of thousands of soil samples. This is divergent from most pharmaceutical research that strive to synthesize chemical compounds in high-tech laboratories. Dr. Satoshi Omura of Kitasato Institute of Tokyo in Japan was the great man in his own right who discovered, isolated and cultured this bacterial strain that is producing the wonder drug Ivermectin. The year was 1973 when he was blessed and endowed with this discovery in the most unexpected source from an unusual soil sample taken in a golf course in the South of Tokyo. Ivermectin development started in 1975 at Merck & Co. in the US. The French Ministry of Health was the first regulatory authority to approve Ivermectin as a human medicine with the brand name Mectizan in 1987. The US FDA approved oral Ivermectin in 1996 with the brand name Stromectol. In 2015, the Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology was awarded to Satoshi Omura of Kitasato Institute, William Campbell of Merck & Co., and Youyou Tu of China Academy of Traditional Medicine for their contributions in the discovery and development of Ivermectin. In time, Ivermectin was included in the WHO’s Model List of Essential Medicines. In the Philippines, it is approved by the FDA and was included in the Philippine Drug Formulary.

As an anti-parasitic, Ivermectin is a potent agent with a broad spectrum activity against nematodes, cestodes and trematodes. The World Health Organization initiated the African Programme for Onchocerciasis Control (APOC) in more than a dozen African countries to bring an end to a century-old plague called River Blindness Disease by bringing to them this medicine and distributed it to whole populations from 1995 to 2015. A complete eradication of this disabling malady was declared when this program was concluded. In the meantime, Ivermectin also became renowned for its outstanding application on endoparasites, ectoparasites and tissue parasites with notable efficacies on roundworms, threadworms, scabies, schistosomiasis, loiasis and elephantiasis.

As an anti-viral agent, Ivermectin is proven effective against a wide range of RNA viruses such as Zika, Dengue, Yellow Fever, West Nile, Hendra, Newcastle, Venezuelan Equine Encephalitis, Chikungunya, Semliki Forest, Sindbis, Avian Influenza A, Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome, Human Immunodeficiency (HIV) Type 1, and lastly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS CoV-2). In all these viruses, Ivermectin inhibits viral replication. In some, it blocks nuclear trafficking of viral proteins being a potent broad-spectrum specific inhibitor of importin α/β-mediated nuclear transport. In SARS CoV-2, Ivermectin attaches to four major sites in the spike protein thereby disabling it to latch onto the ACE-2 receptors, thus disabling viral entry and preventing the detrimental downregulation of the ACE-2 enzyme protein. It also inhibits DNA polymerase enzyme or helicase enzyme thereby preventing viral replication. In HIV type 1 virus, Ivermectin disrupts HIV-1 integrase enzyme while in Dengue viruses it disrupts non-structural protein 5 (NS-5) polymerase enzyme. Notwithstanding, Ivermectin also directly potentiates Interferon production in the instance of an invading viral infection.

As an anti-microbial, Ivermectin acts effectively even as a monotherapy in combating tuberculosis including multidrug-resistant strains. It also has an application in Buruli ulcers, Chlamydial infections, and certain supergerms that have developed resistance to anti-bacterial agents.

As an immunomodulator, Ivermectin has proven its excellent utility in modulating inflammation, autoimmunity, and immune dysfunction. Ivermectin modulates Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NFƙB), a transcription factor that regulates a large array of genes involved in different immune and inflammatory processes. NFƙB regulates multiple aspects of the innate and adaptive immune factors and serves as a pivotal mediator of inflammatory responses. It induces the expression of various inflammatory genes responsible for cytokines, chemokines, and inflammasome regulation. Ivermectin’s influence on NFƙB therefore implicates on the pathogenesis of a number of inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, atherosclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, diabetes type 1, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma to name a few.

As an anti-cancer, Ivermectin is established to possess pronounced antitumor activities. It brings about major cancer cell deaths in three ways by inducing: mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, PAK1/Akt/mTOR-mediated autophagy, and P2X4/P2X7/NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis. PAK1 alone is essential for the growth of more than 70% of all human cancers, including breast, prostate, pancreatic, colon, gastric, lung, cervical and thyroid cancers, as well as hepatoma, glioma, melanoma, multiple myeloma and neurofibromatosis tumors. And there are several other means or pathways that Ivermectin is proving to be an excellent mainstay in the prevention and treatment of cancers. Ivermectin inhibits Yes-associated Protein 1 (YAP1) (in liver, gallbladder, colorectal, ovarian and gastric cancers); it blocks WNT-T cell Factor pathway response (significant in cancer stem cells); it increases TFE3 activity (in melanoma); it inhibits DDX23 helicase (in glioma stem cell XO1 and CSC2, lungs A549, prostate DU145, cervix HeLa, and pancreatic PANC1 cancer cell lines); it serves as an epigenetic modulator through inhibition of SIN3-PAH2-MDA interaction (involved in angiogenesis, tumor growth, generation of cancer stem cells and epithelial-mesenchymal transition); it inhibits mitochondrial respiration (by inhibition of basal and maximum oxygen consumption rate which decreases respiratory complex 1 enzyme activity seen in glioblastoma, kidney, leukemia, breast, and lymphoma); it acts as an ionophore that activates Chloride channels (inducing cell death in several acute myeloid leukemia); it inhibits p-glycoprotein (P-gp) (thereby preventing multidrug resistance); it suppresses development of cancer stem cells (CSCs) (that downregulates expression of stemness genes often seen in breast cancers); it induces immunogenic cell death (ICD) (as seen in triple negative breast cancer); it inhibits certain angiogenesis (targeting HBMECs, VEGF and its tyrosine receptor HIF-1); it exerts anti-mitotic activity (interfering on the dynamics of tubulin polymerization and depolymerization); it inhibits HSP27 activity (which facilitate proteostasis, prosurvival, and antiapoptotic pathways); it inhibits the KPNB1 oncogene (in epithelial ovarian cancer); it inhibits FOXA1 Ku70/Ku80 (in prostate cancer); and it reduces MAPK pathway activation through inhibition of PAK1 (in nasopharyngeal cancer). Ivermectin is a good adjunct in combination therapy with anti-neoplastic agents as it prevents the development of multidrug resistance in chemotherapy. More so, and very surprisingly, it can even reverse an existing multidrug resistance from previously used chemotherapeutic agents.

Aside from these, there are many other proven and potential applications for Ivermectin.

Ivermectin has a role in neurological diseases. It silences excessive neuronal activity in certain neurological disorders particularly motor neuron diseases, arising from neuronal cell deaths initiated by excessive levels of excitation. Ivermectin prevents alcohol use disorder due to its action on P2X4 receptors. Ivermectin prevents, retards and ameliorates a motor neuron disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis as it addresses its associated motor neuron degeneration. Cys-loop neurotransmitter receptors, particularly those activated by GABA, are enhanced by Ivermectin. These receptors mediate rapid synaptic transmission throughout the nervous system and are crucial for intercellular communication which are key factors in fundamental physiological processes, such as learning and memory. Also, studies are now investigating the possible role of Ivermectin in the management of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Ivermectin is useful as a malarial control tool. It kills mosquitoes particularly Anopheles gambiae that transmit the most dangerous malaria-causing parasite called Plasmodium falciparum when Ivermectin is present in the human bloodstream. To achieve this, a standard prophylactic oral dose has been recommended by the Ivermectin Research for Malaria Elimination Network.

Ivermectin promotes wound healing partly through modulation of the inflammatory processes and the levels of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta 1 and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor. Treatment of wounds using Ivermectin confers minimal scar tissue formation. Oral intake with topical application of Ivermectin on first and second degree burns may not necessitate concomitant use of antibiotics and the healing is even hastened especially if taken along with Vitamin C.

Ivermectin has a very significant impact on the gut microbiome. It contains monosaccharide oleandrose moieties that feeds the Bifidobacterium, thereby enhancing its multiplication. Bifidobacterium species are microaerotolerant anaerobes that degrade monosaccharides, such as glucose and fructose, via the bifid shunt and produce more ATP than traditional fermentative pathways. Increased Bifidobacterium levels serve as an important indicator of human health as it particularly increases inhibition of Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins that leads to inhibition of specific inflammatory processes. This phenomenon was proven among Covid-19 patients. When Ivermectin was given to these patients, this inhibition became more prominent.

What further adds to the wonders of Ivermectin is its profile of safety that was seen in over 3.7 billion doses given worldwide to date. Ivermectin has zero impact on human biochemistry. It does not cause any harm nor toxicity to the brain, kidneys, liver, bone marrow, or to any other organs, as contrast to the negative propaganda raised against it during the pandemic. It has a very low index of allergenicity in an approximate level like 1 in 10,000, which is much lower than most approved pharmaceutical drugs. It has no known carcinogenic nor teratogenic potentials. It can be administered safely in all trimesters of pregnancy. It can be given to infants and to elderly patients. The product literature inserts in existing products contain a long list of drug-to-drug interactions. However, most of these were proven wrong when Ivermectin was administered widely during the pandemic. No drug-to-drug interactions have been reported.

The dose of Ivermectin has been 0.2mg per kilogram body weight given as a single dose for parasites. However, in the Philippines, when we first used Ivermectin in July 2020 for prevention of Covid-19, the dose was initially 0.25mg per kilogram body weight given once every 3 weeks. Then we increased the frequency to give it every 2 weeks from December 2020 as the viral variants became stronger. From March 2021 our recommendation was to give it every week, then from May 2021 we needed to increase it to a twice-a-week intake to obtain the same preventative efficacy. But for the treatment of Covid-19, we were able to determine that the dose depends on the actual conditions presented by the patients. The specific high enough dose has to be reached as early as possible, and we determine it as the high dose that brings about improvement. We stay on this dose for 3 days before we taper it gradually. High enough doses reached 1mg/kgBW, 2mg/kgBW, 3mg/kgBW, and even 4mg/kgBW. We were reversing severe Covid-19 syndromes at home treatments with these doses. In rare cases, which are very severe, we even go as high as 5mg/kgBW and even higher when the situation demands for it. We were successful when we dose the treatment in this manner. Worldwide, the highest doses of Ivermectin ever given in the treatment of severe and very severe Covid-19 cases most likely happened in the Philippines, as most of the poor segment has nothing else at hand but Ivermectin. And we were successfully reversing Covid-19 syndromes. We saw the side effects when we reach these high doses ranging from somnolence, visual disturbances (glaring, dimming, tunnel vision, patterned vision, blue bubbles), loss of balance, disorientation, to visual hallucinations. These however were transient, temporary and caused no harm, which disappear once Ivermectin has been discontinued.

What we witnessed and experienced during the pandemic and the solutions we obtained from Ivermectin are things of the past. The pandemic is over. But today we are confronted with a new set of problems that are even more far-reaching, worse and very tragic. But sadly, most people are unaware and unsuspecting.

We are now commonly seeing accentuations and exacerbations of the disease entities of the Metabolic Syndrome. There has also been the emergence and tremendous rise of cases of myocarditis, sudden adult death syndromes, autoimmune disorders, hypercoagulability disorders, and cancers. And there are the hidden realities of increased miscarriages and infertility. What is even so appalling is that most doctors are even incognizant that these are occurring, and they have become so naïve to understand that these are the results of the Covid-19 vaccinations that were deceitfully enforced to the majority of populations. What substantiate these claims are the staggering rise in excess deaths coupled with deficits in births. During the 4 pandemic years from 2020 to 2023, the number of excess deaths in the Philippines totaled to 388,374, which excluded the deaths due to Covid-19 with just a total of 66,795. The deficits in births during those years reached the number of 949,725. These numbers are indeed very alarming. In Indonesia the excess deaths, not including deaths from Covid-19, for the period from 2020 to 2022 totaled 1,707,910. That of India for just that same 3-year period, also not including deaths from Covid-19, totaled 8,910,396. These are reported statistical figures, and these numbers do not lie. Howsoever disconcerting this can be, yet most people are unknowing of the sad realities and unaware of the real causes. What we are seeing is certainly none other than the result of the Covid-19 vaccines. Whether we like it or not, this is the hard truth. Looking through a medical perspective however, the main pathologic cause comes from the spike proteins being produced by the body as a result of the injected vaccines. Ivermectin serves as the antidote for these harmful proteins. I recommend that people who received Covid-19 vaccines to take Ivermectin 15mg-30mg (depending on the total body weight) every day for one month, then every 3 days for 5 months or more. They should do this as soon as possible, understanding that the repercussions of the vaccine can be acute (within 1-30 days from vaccination), subacute (within 1-12 months from vaccination), or even chronic (within 1-10 years from vaccination).

For the past 2 years, I am being consulted almost daily by new patients with different kinds of cancers. Often, they are in advanced stages, and the history revealed almost always that they have received the Covid-19 vaccines. The term ‘turbo’ cancer is a newly coined label to refer to cancers which were detected mostly in very advanced stages such as stage 4 or the metastatic stage, and seemingly without having to go through stages 1 to 3. And many of them have already undergone chemotherapy and has failed in their treatments. What surprised me is that some Oncologists contemplate on and advise for them to undergo chemotherapy for life! But the patients themselves decide to seek alternative treatments owing to toxic side effects of, adverse reactions to, and decrease in the quality of life from the chemotherapeutic agents. For the treatment of cancers, the recommended daily dose of Ivermectin is 1-2mg per kilogram body weight. We divide the doses into two: morning and evening. Along with this, I also give intravenous Vitamin C in the form of Sodium Ascorbate at a dose of 50,000mg every 2 days.

Considering all these wonders, we can appreciate that Ivermectin is truly an amazing, exceptional and outstanding medicine. Anyone who concerns himself in the healing arts must learn and take advantage of the many uses of Ivermectin. The clinician who employs Ivermectin in his clinic is constantly baffled by the many benefits Ivermectin can give to his patients. Recognizing the unmatched value of such an extraordinary drug called Ivermectin, he brings to himself a tremendous difference in the way he fulfils his role as a healer. I would say that Ivermectin is the greatest natural drug ever discovered in the same category as that of Vitamin C and Dimethyl Sulfoxide. And every doctor seeking the best for his patients must therefore strive to learn how to use these orthomolecules. These, I would say, are God’s provisions. And Ivermectin is indeed the Jehovah-jireh during the pandemic and continue to be so today.