title: Efficacy of alpha,beta-arteether in acute uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria.
abstract: A phase-III clinical trial was conducted in 50 patients (42M + 8F) with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria from Delhi during the period of September to November 1995. Their mean age was 27.2 years, and the mean parasitaemia on day 0 was 0.65%. Patients were hospitalized and treated with a new ethyl derivative of artemisinin developed at CDRI called alpha, beta-arteether, at the dosage of 150 mg l/M for three consecutive days. Peripheral smears were examined every day for 4 days and then weekly up to 28 days. The results of the study showed that the mean parasite and fever clearance times were respectively 19.94 +/- 6.87 and 37.81 +/- 21.67 hours. Within 48 h, 70% of the cases became afebrile and the peripheral smear was negative in 100% of the cases. The drug was well tolerated. Three cases (6%) had recrudescence within 28 days. It is concluded that alpha, beta-arteether is a safe, effective and rapidly acting antimalarial.
authors.affiliation: Malaria Research Centre, Delhi, India.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valecha
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Usha
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biswas
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Adak
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Asthana
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Sharma
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D037621:Artemisinins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000276:immunology; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; C055141:artemotil