Alembic Mectin-AZ Medicated Parasite Control Shampoo for Dogs & Cats | Ivermectin + Azole Antifungal | Mange, Ticks, Fleas, Fungal & Bacterial Skin Infections | 200ml

FOR VETERINARY EXTERNAL USE ONLY — For use on dogs and cats under veterinary supervision. Not for human use. AVOID CONTACT WITH EYES, EARS, NOSE, AND MOUTH — rinse immediately with clean water if contact occurs. Do not use on puppies or kittens under 12 weeks without veterinary guidance. Do not use in debilitated, underweight, or severely ill animals without veterinary assessment. Use with caution in MDR1/ABCB1 mutation-positive herding breeds (Collie, Sheltie, Australian Shepherd) — percutaneous Ivermectin absorption risk; confirm with veterinarian. Do not use in cats without veterinary guidance — cats have reduced tolerance to Ivermectin. Keep out of reach of children. Store in a cool, dry place below 25°C. Keep tightly capped after use.

Alembic Mectin-AZ Medicated Parasite Control Shampoo for Dogs & Cats | Ivermectin + Azole Antifungal | Mange, Ticks, Fleas, Fungal & Bacterial Skin Infections | 200ml

Alembic Mectin-AZ is a medicated veterinary shampoo for dogs and cats combining Ivermectin (macrocyclic lactone ectoparasiticide — kills mites, ticks, and lice via GluCl channel-mediated paralysis) with an Azole antifungal agent (Ketoconazole or Miconazole — confirm from product label; imidazole class ergosterol synthesis inhibitors targeting fungal CYP51/lanosterol 14α-demethylase) for simultaneous ectoparasiticide and antifungal action in a single wash. Mectin-AZ is indicated as a topical adjunct in the management of mange (Sarcoptic and Demodectic), tick and flea infestations, Malassezia pachydermatis (yeast) dermatitis, dermatophytosis (ringworm), seborrhoeic skin disease, and mixed bacterial-fungal skin infections. Use as directed by a licensed veterinarian as part of an integrated veterinary dermatology treatment programme.

Active Ingredients & Mechanisms of Action

• Ivermectin (topical) — Macrocyclic lactone ectoparasiticide (GluCl channel positive allosteric modulator): Ivermectin is a semisynthetic macrocyclic lactone derived from Avermectin B1 (Streptomyces avermitilis fermentation product); topical Ivermectin penetrates the skin and cuticle of ectoparasites (mites, ticks, lice) residing on or burrowing into the skin surface and hair follicles; mechanism: selectively binds and positively modulates glutamate-gated chloride ion channels (GluCl channels — Cys-loop receptor family; invertebrate-specific, absent from vertebrate CNS) in arthropod and nematode nerve and muscle cells → sustained Cl− influx → membrane hyperpolarisation → irreversible paralysis of ectoparasite musculature and pharyngeal pump → death; particularly effective against: Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis (sarcoptic mange — burrowing mite that lives in the superficial stratum corneum of the epidermis, causing intensely pruritic papular eruption, excoriation, crusting, and secondary bacterial infection by producing hypersensitivity type I/IV reactions to mite faeces, saliva, and exoskeleton fragments — topical Ivermectin shampoo contact with mite burrow openings and skin surface mites complements systemic Ivermectin therapy), Demodex canis (demodectic mange — an obligate intrafollicular mite residing in hair follicles and sebaceous glands; Demodex overpopulation in immunosuppressed or genetically predisposed dogs → folliculitis, furunculosis, and secondary bacterial pyoderma), Ctenocephalides felis/canis (flea kill on contact during bathing), Rhipicephalus sanguineus and other tick species (tick kill via contact during shampoo application); percutaneous absorption of topical Ivermectin is low in most dogs but can be clinically significant in MDR1(-/-) herding breeds (see safety warnings); importantly, topical shampoo application provides supplementary ectoparasite contact kill during bathing but does not provide the sustained 12-week systemic protection of an oral isoxazoline (Fluralaner, Afoxolaner); used as adjunct to systemic therapy for severe mange, not as a standalone systemic treatment
• Azole antifungal — Ketoconazole or Miconazole (confirm from Alembic Mectin-AZ product label) — Imidazole class CYP51 (lanosterol 14α-demethylase) inhibitor: Imidazole antifungals (Ketoconazole, Miconazole, Clotrimazole) inhibit the fungal cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP51 (sterol 14α-demethylase — also designated ERG11 in fungal genetics nomenclature); CYP51 catalyses the oxidative removal of the 14α-methyl group from lanosterol (the first sterol intermediate in the fungal ergosterol biosynthesis pathway) to form 4,4-dimethyl-θ14,15-cholesterol → ultimately ergosterol (the principal sterol component of the fungal plasma membrane that maintains membrane fluidity, lipid raft integrity, and the activity of membrane-embedded fungal enzymes including the proton ATPase Pma1p); imidazole CYP51 inhibition → accumulation of 14α-methylated sterol intermediates (14α-methyllanosterol, eburicol) → (a) depletion of ergosterol → loss of membrane fluidity, lipid raft disruption, Pma1p proton ATPase dysfunction → membrane permeability increase and impaired nutrient uptake; (b) accumulation of toxic 14α-methylated sterols that are directly membrane-disruptive (they intercalate with membrane phospholipids and alter bilayer properties); collectively: fungistatic (at low concentrations) to fungicidal (at higher concentrations) against: Malassezia pachydermatis (the lipophilic yeast that colonises the ear canal, skin folds, interdigital spaces, and perineum of dogs and causes Malassezia otitis externa and Malassezia dermatitis — characterised by greasy, malodorous, intensely pruritic erythematous skin with yellowish-brown ceruminous exudate; Malassezia overgrowth is typically secondary to underlying atopic dermatitis, hypothyroidism, primary seborrhoea, or skin fold anatomy in predisposed breeds such as Basset Hound, Cocker Spaniel, and West Highland White Terrier), Microsporum canis and Trichophyton mentagrophytes (dermatophytes — geophilic/zoophilic fungi causing tinea/ringworm: circular, expanding, alopecic, scaly, crusted skin lesions with central clearing — a key differential in pruritic cats particularly in young animals and immunocompromised dogs), Candida albicans (mucocutaneous candidiasis in immunosuppressed animals; less common in dogs and cats than in humans), and other Malassezia spp. and dermatophyte species; topical shampoo-formulated Azole achieves direct contact antifungal concentrations at the skin surface and in the stratum corneum, sebaceous follicular infundibulum (where Malassezia colonises), and superficial hair shaft cortex (where dermatophyte hyphae invade)

Indications

• Sarcoptic mange (Sarcoptes scabiei var. canis) — adjunct topical therapy alongside systemic ectoparasiticide (Ivermectin tablets, isoxazoline tablets, or selamectin spot-on)
• Demodectic mange (Demodex canis) — adjunct topical therapy alongside systemic Ivermectin, Amitraz dips, or oral isoxazoline therapy for generalised or severe localised demodicosis
• Malassezia dermatitis — weekly medicated shampoo therapy as part of the management of Malassezia skin overgrowth, particularly in seborrhoeic and atopic dogs
• Malassezia otitis externa — adjunct to ear canal medicated flush (confirm suitability for ear use from label; some medicated shampoos are not formulated for ear canal instillation)
• Dermatophytosis (ringworm — Microsporum canis, Trichophyton spp.) — topical adjunct to systemic antifungal therapy (Itraconazole, Terbinafine) in dogs and cats with widespread ringworm
• Tick, flea, and lice contact control during bathing
• Bacterial pyoderma and seborrhoeic skin disease with secondary yeast component — combined ectoparasiticide/antifungal wash as part of a multimodal dermatology treatment plan

Application Protocol

• Thoroughly wet the coat with lukewarm water
• Apply a sufficient quantity of shampoo and massage gently to produce a thorough lather — ensure contact with all skin folds, interdigital spaces, axillae, groin, and perianal areas where Malassezia colonises preferentially
• Leave on the coat for 5–10 minutes contact time before rinsing — contact time is critical for antifungal and ectoparasiticidal efficacy
• Rinse thoroughly; dry the animal in a warm environment — avoid chilling
• Frequency of bathing as directed by veterinarian — typically twice weekly for active Malassezia dermatitis, reducing to weekly or fortnightly for maintenance
• Avoid contact with eyes, ears (unless specifically directed), nose, and mouth during application

Safety Information

• External use only — not for ophthalmic, otic (without veterinary direction), or internal use
• MDR1/ABCB1 herding breeds (Collie, Sheltie, Australian Shepherd, Border Collie): percutaneous Ivermectin absorption may be higher than in non-herding breeds; use under veterinary supervision and monitor for neurological signs post-bathing
• Cats: use under strict veterinary guidance; percutaneous Ivermectin absorption and Azole topical toxicity risk in cats requires veterinary assessment
• Do not use in puppies or kittens under 12 weeks without veterinary guidance
• If ocular contact occurs, rinse immediately and thoroughly with clean water; if irritation persists, seek veterinary advice
• Discontinue use and consult veterinarian if skin irritation, increased pruritus, or adverse reactions occur
• Store below 25°C; keep tightly capped; keep out of reach of children