Safety of the combination of chloroquine and methylene blue in healthy adult men with G6PD deficiency from rural Burkina Faso.
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.
Mandi
Germain
G
Nouna Health Research Centre, Nouna, Burkina Faso. germain.crsn@fasonet.bf
Witte
Steffen
S
Meissner
Peter
P
Coulibaly
Boubacar
B
Mansmann
Ulrich
U
Rengelshausen
Jens
J
Schiek
Wolfgang
W
Jahn
Albrecht
A
Sanon
Mamadou
M
Wüst
Kirsten
K
Walter-Sack
Ingeborg
I
Mikus
Gerd
G
Burhenne
Jürgen
J
Riedel
Klaus-Dieter
KD
Schirmer
Heiner
H
Kouyaté
Bocar
B
Müller
Olaf
O
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
D000962:Antimalarials; D006454:Hemoglobins; D002738:Chloroquine; D008751:Methylene Blue