ARTEROLANE MALEATE AND PIPERAQUINE PHOSPHATE: A NEW OPTION IN THE TREATMENT OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA

Abstract

Malaria is holoendemic in India, claiming thousands of deaths annually. Recent data suggests that the burden of malaria, the most significant parasitic disease in the world, is increasing. India’s expansive geography and diverse climate supports ideal environment for sustaining malarial parasites and their vectors. The National Drug Policy of India recommends artemisinin based combination treatment for the management of malaria. Although the use of Artemisinin has strengthened global efforts to combat malaria, multi-drug resistance has increasingly become a major impediment to malaria control. The complete clearance of parasites is dependent on the partner drug in the combination being effective and also persisting at parasiticidal concentrations until most of the infecting parasites have been killed. Arterolane maleate (150mg) and piperaquine phosphate (750mg) combination is a novel antimalarial combination that is not based on artemisinin. This combination provides rapid clearance of parasitemia and malaria-related symptoms, coupled with prevention of recrudescence. Additionally, a short course treatment of 3 days encourages compliance. Combination of arterolane and piperaquine is a safe and well-tolerated drug combination, making it a welcome addition to the armamentarium against Plasmodium falciparum.

KEYWORDS: malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, arterolane, piperaquine