Korean J Parasitol.  2006 Sep;44(3):221-228. 10.3347/kjp.2006.44.3.221.

Safety and tolerability of elubaquine (bulaquine, CDRI 80/53) for treatment of Plasmidium vivax malaria in Thailand

• Krudsood S
• Wilairatana P
• Tangpukdee N
• Chalermrut K
• Srivilairit S
• Thanachartwet V
• Muangnoicharoen S
• Luplertlop N
• Brittenham GM
• Looareesuwan S

• KMID: 1720520
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3347/kjp.2006.44.3.221

Abstract

We conducted a study to compare the safety and tolerability of anti-relapse drugs elubaquine and primaquine against Plasmodium vivax malaria. After standard therapy with chloroquine, 30 mg/kg given over 3 days, 141 patients with P. vivax infection were randomized to receive primaquine or elubaquine. The 2 treatment regimens were primaquine 30 mg once daily for 7 days (group A, n = 71), and elubaquine 25 mg once daily for 7 days (group B, n = 70). All patients cleared parasitemia within 7 days after chloroquine treatment. Among patients treated with primaquine, one patient relapsed on day 26; no relapse occurred with elubaquine treatement. Both drugs were well tolerated. Adverse effects occurred only in patients with G6PD deficiency who were treated with primaquine (group A, n = 4), whose mean hematocrit fell significantly on days 7, 8 and 9 (P = 0.015, 0.027, and 0.048, respectively). No significant change in hematocrit was observed in patients with G6PD deficiency who were treated with elubaquine (group B, n = 3) or in patients with normal G6PD. In conclusion, elubaquine, as anti-relapse therapy for P. vivax malaria, was as safe and well tolerated as primaquine and did not cause clinically significant hemolysis.

Keyword

Plasmodium vivax; vivax malaria; elubaquine; bulaquine; safety; tolerability; Thailand

MeSH Terms

Thailand
Prospective Studies
Primaquine/adverse effects/*analogs & derivatives/therapeutic use
*Plasmodium vivax
Middle Aged
Male
Malaria, Vivax/*drug therapy
Humans
Female
Chloroquine/therapeutic use
Antimalarials/*adverse effects/therapeutic use
Animals
Adult
Adolescent