Artemether 20mg/1ml

Artemether is active against all Plasmodia including those which may be resistant to other antimalarials. Artemether has very rapid schizontocidal activity. The schizontocidal activity of artemether is mainly due to destruction of the asexual erythrocytic forms of P. falciparum and P. vivax. Artemether is concentrated in the food vacuole. It then splits its endoperoxide bridge as it interacts with haem, blocking conversion to haemozoin, destroying existing haemozoin and releasing haem and a cluster of free radicals into the parasite. There is inhibition of protein synthesis during growth of trophozoites. There is no cross resistance with chloroquine. Artemether is not active against hypnozoites. Therefore, an 8- amino-quinoline derivative such as primaquine should be given sequentially after the combination in cases of mixed infections of P. falciparum and P. vivax to achieve hypnozoites eradication. Artemether reduces gametocyte carriage. There is no rationale at present for using artemether for chemoprophylaxis.