Drug Interaction:
Inhibitors of CYP3A4 , TCADs, fecanide, metoprolol, protease inhibitors, grape friut juice,
class I A and III antiarrhythmics,
Drugs prolonging QT intervals, neuroleptics, azole antifungals,
Antidepressants, macrolides,
Fluroquinololnes, cisapride, other anti malarials
Indication:
Uncomplicated Falciparum malaria
Adverse Reaction:
Headache, dizziness,
Sleep disturbances,
Palpitations,
GI upset, anorexia,
Pruritus, rash,
Arthalgia, myalgia,
Asthenia, fatigue,
Cough,
QT prolongation,
Paraesthesia,
Gait disturbances,
Raised liver enzymes
Contra-Indications:
Cardiac disease, history or family of sudden death, or QT elongation
History of cardiac arrhyhmia,,
Electrolyte imbalance
Bradycardia, congestive heart failure with reduced LVEF
Not tob used as prpophylaxis.
Complicated malaria after plasmodium infections.
Lactation
Special precautions-
Severe cardiac , renal, or hepatic impairment,
Monitor ECG,potassium, pregnancy
Dosages/ Overdosage Etc:
Indication-
Uncomplicated Falciparum malaria
Dosage-
Each tablet containing Arthemether and Lumefantrine should be taken with high fat food or drink such as milk. twice for 3 concecutive days
Based on patients weight dose is divided as follows-
5to 15 kg- 20mg +120mg
> 15kg to 25kg- 40mg + 240mg
> 25kg to 35kg - 60mg + 360mg
> 35kg - 80mg + 480mg
on 1st day two doses has to be given 8 hours apart and from 2nd day 12 hours apart.
Pharmacology/ Pharmacokinetics:
Rationale for the Combination-
According to the 2006 and 2010 WHO malaria treatment guidlines, uncomplicated falciparum malaria must be treated with ACT and not by Artemisinin alone or any other monotherapy
Artemether when used correctly in combination with other antimalarial drugs is not only effective in treating malaria, but also prevents parasite developing drug resistence .
Artemether is a fast acting Artemisinin drug with short half-life while Lumefanthine has a longer half-life.
Artemether rapidly reduces parasite biomass and quiclky resolves clinical symptoms .
Added to this .Lumefantrines longer duration of activity is thought to prevent recrudescence.
This dual effect also appears to reduce the selective pressure on the parasite to develop resistence.
Pharmacokinetics-
Both Artemether and Lumefanthrine act as as blood scizontocides.
The site of antiparasitic action of both components of the combination is the food vacuole
of the malarial parasite, where they are thought to intefere with the conversion of heme,
a toxic intermediate produced during hemoglobin breakdown to the non toxic hemozoin,
malaria pigment.
Parasites in the infected erythrocuytes ingest and degrade hemoglobin and concentrate iron in a vacuole in the form of toxic heme. normally heme is then made harmless by conversion into hemozin
Interaction with Food:
Each tablet containing Artemether and Lumefantrine should be taken with high fat food or drink
such as milk, twice for 3 concecutive days
Pregnancy and lactation:
Artemether and Lumfantrine tablests are contrindicated during the first trimester of pregnancy.
During the second and third trimeser treatment shpuld only be considered if the expected benefit to the mother outweighs the risk to the fetus.