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Volume 4, Number 1—March 1998

Synopsis

Proteases of Malaria Parasites: New Targets for Chemotherapy

Philip J. RosenthalComments to Author 
Author affiliation: San Francisco General Hospital and University of California, San Francisco, California, USA

Main Article

Table 1

Established antimalarial drugsa

Drug Role Best Feature(s) Limitations
Chloroquine TX of and CP against non- Pf and sensitive Pf parasites Very safe; low cost; long half-life Widespread R
Quinine/quinidine Best TX for Pf malaria; low cost Limited R; rapidly acting Fairly toxic (cinchonism, cardiac)
Amodiaquineb TX of R Pf malaria Low cost Toxicity (bone marrow, liver); R common
Mefloquine CP against R Pf malaria; not approved for TX in United States Relatively little R, though increasing; long half-life Moderately toxic (mostly CNS); high cost; R in SE Asia
Fansidar TX of Pf malaria; no longer recommended for CP Relatively low cost; long half-life Skin toxicity (can be fatal); increasing R
Primaquine Eradication of chronic liver stage Pv, Po malaria Only drug for this indication Hemolysis with G6PD deficiency; increasing R
Proguanilb CP only (often with chloroquine) Low cost; nontoxic R common
Maloprimb CP only (often with chloroquine) Low cost R common; skin rashes
Tetracyclines CP; TX of Pf malaria in combination with quinine Low cost Skin and gastrointestinal toxicity

aTX, therapy; CP, chemoprophylaxis; R, resistance/resistant; Pf, Plasmodium falciparum; Pv, P. vivax; Po, P. ovale; CNS, central nervous system; G6PD, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase.
bNot available in the United States.

Main Article

Page created: December 13, 2010
Page updated: December 13, 2010
Page reviewed: December 13, 2010
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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