title: Halofantrine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in the Philippines.
abstract: In an open clinical trial, thirty patients 14 to 44 years old and with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria were given halofantrine hydrochloride 500 mg (2 tablets) 6-hourly for 3 doses, a total dose of 1500 mg. All 30 patients were cured, with a mean asexual parasite clearance time of 47.6 hours and mean fever clearance time of 36.6 hours. Post-dosing side-effects occurred in 6 patients consisting of mild to moderate headache, dizziness and abdominal muscle spasm. Drug-induced hemolysis did not occur in two G6PD deficient patients. Twenty-three out of 28 isolates tested (82%) were resistant to amodiaquine, 3 (11%) were resistant to the sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination, and all were sensitive to chloroquine, quinine and mefloquine by in vitro microtests. The study confirms the efficacy of halofantrine hydrochloride as a blood schizonticide in falciparum malaria.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute for Tropical Medicine, Department of Health, Alabang, Muntinlupa, Metro Manila, Philippines.
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Carlos
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Bustos
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Quiambao
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Saniel
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Santos
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001774:Blood Chemical Analysis; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D010616:Phenanthrenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D010616:Phenanthrenes; C023768:halofantrine