title: Efficacy of a 3-day oral regimen of quinine in an area of northern Nigeria with low-grade resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine.
abstract: The efficacy in vivo of a 3-day oral regimen of quinine (30 mg/kg/day) was assessed in 34 children with falciparum malaria in an area of northern Nigeria with previously documented low-grade parasite resistance to chloroquine and sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (SDX/PYR). By day 4, all 34 children were free of parasites. Mean parasite clearance time and fever clearance time were 2.7 and 1.7 days, respectively. However, on day 14, 5 (14.7%) children were again parasitaemic and 4 of them were clinically ill. They were again treated successfully with a standard course of oral chloroquine. No adverse drug effects were recorded. Of the 34 children, 9 parasite isolates were successfully cultured in vitro. EC50 and EC99 were 14.0 and 126.0 pmol per well respectively, indicating decreased parasite sensitivity but no resistance in vitro. In conclusion, the 3-day course of quinine was found to be an effective alternative to standard chloroquine treatment in the study area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
authors.forename: S I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Adagu
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Okoyeh
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lege-Oguntoye
authors.forename: W N
authors.initials: WN
authors.lastname: Ogala
authors.forename: G O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Ogunrinde
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Faji
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sani
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D009549:Nigeria; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D011739:Pyrimethamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011803:Quinine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013413:Sulfadoxine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D004338:Drug Combinations; C001205:fanasil, pyrimethamine drug combination; D013413:Sulfadoxine; D002738:Chloroquine; D011803:Quinine; D011739:Pyrimethamine