title: Oral artesunate dose-response relationship in acute falciparum malaria.
abstract: The combination of an oral artemisinin derivative (usually artesunate) and mefloquine has become standard treatment for multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria in several parts of Southeast Asia. The doses of artesunate used in monotherapy and combination treatment have largely been derived empirically. In order to characterize the in vivo dose-response relationship for artesunate and thus rationalize dosing, 47 adult patients with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria and parasitemia > or = 1% were randomized to receive a single oral dose of artesunate varying between 0 and 250 mg together with a curative dose of oral mefloquine. Acceleration of parasite clearance was used as the pharmacodynamic variable. An inhibitory sigmoidal maximum effect (Emax) pharmacodynamic model typical of a dose-response curve was fitted to the relationship between dose and shortening of parasite clearance time (PCT). The Emax was estimated as 28.6 oral h, and the 50% effective concentration was 1.6 mg/kg of body weight. These results imply that there is no reduction in PCTs with the use of single doses of artesunate higher than 2 mg/kg, and this therefore reflects the average lower limit of the maximally effective dose.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Angus
authors.forename: Itaporn
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thaiaporn
authors.forename: Kenechanh
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chanthapadith
authors.forename: Yupin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suputtamongkol
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: White
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D001711:Biotransformation; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012717:Sesquiterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D037621:Artemisinins; D012717:Sesquiterpenes; D000077332:Artesunate