Artesunate/amodiaquine
Artesunate/Amodiaquine
Artesunate/Amodiaquine (pronunciation: ar-te-soo-nate/am-o-dia-kween) is a combination antimalarial medication used primarily to treat malaria, a disease caused by parasites that enter the body through the bite of a mosquito.
Etymology
The term "Artesunate" is derived from its parent compound artemisinin, which is a natural product of the Chinese plant Artemisia annua, also known as sweet wormwood. "Amodiaquine" is a synthetic compound, with its name derived from the terms 'amino', '4-diethyl', and 'quinoline', which describe its chemical structure.
Usage
Artesunate/Amodiaquine is used to treat uncomplicated malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. It is also used as a prophylactic treatment for malaria in areas where the disease is known to be resistant to other antimalarial drugs such as chloroquine.
Mechanism of Action
Artesunate works by producing free radicals within the malarial parasite, which damage the parasite's proteins and membranes leading to its death. Amodiaquine, on the other hand, interferes with the parasite's ability to detoxify haem, a byproduct of haemoglobin digestion, leading to accumulation of toxic haem within the parasite and subsequent death.
Side Effects
Common side effects of Artesunate/Amodiaquine include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare cases, it can cause serious side effects such as hepatitis, neutropenia, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome.
Related Terms
- Antimalarial
- Artemisinin
- Chloroquine
- Plasmodium falciparum
- Haem
- Hepatitis
- Neutropenia
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Artesunate/amodiaquine
- Wikipedia's article - Artesunate/amodiaquine
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