title: Safety of the combination of chloroquine and methylene blue in healthy adult men with G6PD deficiency from rural Burkina Faso.
abstract: New drug combinations against falciparum malaria which are both effective and affordable for Sub-Saharan African populations are urgently needed. The combination of the well-known drugs chloroquine (CQ) and methylene blue (MB) is such a promising new regimen. However, there is some concern that MB could cause development of haemolysis in patients with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency, a condition which is prevalent in malaria-endemic regions. Against this background, 74 G6PD-deficient but otherwise healthy adult men were given a 3-day oral regimen of a total of 1500 mg CQ and 780 mg MB in the District Hospital of Nouna in north-western Burkina Faso. Haemolysis did not occur, haemoglobin levels remained stable or even rose in the study participants, and the drug regimen was well tolerated. Therefore, standard dosages of MB appear to be safe in G6PD-deficient African populations with predominantly class III G6PD deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Nouna Health Research Centre, Nouna, Burkina Faso. germain.crsn@fasonet.bf
authors.forename: Germain
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mandi
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Witte
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: Boubacar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coulibaly
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mansmann
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rengelshausen
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Schiek
authors.forename: Albrecht
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.forename: Mamadou
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanon
authors.forename: Kirsten
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wüst
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Walter-Sack
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mikus
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Burhenne
authors.forename: Klaus-Dieter
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Riedel
authors.forename: Heiner
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schirmer
authors.forename: Bocar
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kouyaté
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005955:Glucosephosphate Dehydrogenase Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012423:Rural Health
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D006454:Hemoglobins; D002738:Chloroquine; D008751:Methylene Blue