artemether/lumefantrine

medtigo

artemether/lumefantrine

Brand Name :

Coartem

Synonyms :

Lumefantrine co-artemether

Class :

Antimalarials

Action and Spectrum

Actions and Spectrum:

artemether/lumefantrine is a combination medication used to treat malaria. It is available in tablet form and works by killing the malaria parasites that cause the disease.

In terms of actions, artemether/lumefantrine is classified as an antimalarial medication. Its specific actions include inhibiting the growth and replication of the malaria parasites in the bloodstream, reducing the number of parasites in the body, and ultimately helping to clear the infection.

The spectrum of actions of artemether/lumefantrine is relatively narrow, as it is primarily effective against malaria parasites and is not used to treat other types of infections or diseases. However, within the context of malaria treatment, it is considered a highly effective medication and is recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria.

Dosing & Uses

Drug Interaction

Adverse Reaction

Frequency Defined

>10%

Abdominal pain

Anorexia

Chills

Fatigue Arthralgia

Asthenia

Dizziness

Headache

Palpitations

Pyrexia Myalgia

Nausea

Vomiting

Sleep disorder

1-10%

Cough

Diarrhea

Anemia

Nasopharyngitis

Splenomegaly

Vertigo

Hepatomegaly

Rash

Malaise

Pruritus

Black Box Warning

Contraindication / Caution

Contraindication/Caution:

Contraindications:

Hypersensitivity or allergy to artemether, lumefantrine, or any of the other ingredients in the medication
History of cardiac arrhythmias or prolonged QT interval
Concomitant use of QT-prolongers, such as certain antibiotics, antifungal medications, or antipsychotic medications

Caution:

Patients with severe hepatic or renal impairment should use artemether/lumefantrine with caution, as the medication is metabolized in the liver and excreted in the urine.
Lactating or pregnant women should use artemether/lumefantrine only if the potential benefits outweigh the potential risks, as there is limited data on the safety of the medication during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Patients with a history of seizures or other neurological disorders should use artemether/lumefantrine with caution, as the medication can cause neurological side effects such as dizziness, headache, and confusion.

Pregnancy / Lactation

Pregnancy consideration:

The drug is not recommended for pregnant females

Breastfeeding warnings:

The benefits of lactation should overweigh the risks of the drug during the treatment

Pregnancy category:

Category A: Satisfactory and well-controlled studies show no risk to the fetus in the first or later trimester.
Category B: No evidence of risk to the fetus is found in animal reproduction studies, and there are not enough studies on pregnant women.
Category C: Adverse effects on the fetus found with evidence in animal reproduction studies and no adequate evidence for a human product; Pregnant women must take care of the potential risks.
Category D: There is adequate data with sufficient evidence of human fetal risk from various platforms. However, despite potential dangers may be used only in emergencies for potential benefits.
Category X: Drugs listed in this category outweigh the risks over benefits. The drug is not for pregnant women.
Category N: No data is available for the drug under this category.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology:

artemether/lumefantrine is a combination medication used to treat malaria. It works by killing the malaria parasites that cause the disease. The pharmacodynamics of artemether/lumefantrine involves several mechanisms of action, including:

artemether:

artemether is a fast-acting antimalarial drug that rapidly kills the malaria parasites in the bloodstream. It does this by inhibiting protein synthesis and disrupting the membrane function of the parasites.
artemether also has some immunomodulatory effects, meaning it can help to modulate the immune response to the infection.

lumefantrine

lumefantrine is a slower-acting antimalarial drug that inhibits the growth and replication of malaria parasites. It interferes with the parasite’s ability to synthesize DNA and RNA.
lumefantrine has a longer half-life than artemether, which means it stays in the body longer and provides sustained antimalarial activity.

Pharmacodynamics:

artemether:

artemether is a fast-acting antimalarial drug that rapidly kills the malaria parasites in the bloodstream. It does this by inhibiting protein synthesis and disrupting the membrane function of the parasites.
artemether also has some immunomodulatory effects, meaning it can help to modulate the immune response to the infection.

lumefantrine:

lumefantrine is a slower-acting antimalarial drug that works by inhibiting the growth and replication of malaria parasites. It does this by interfering with the parasite’s ability to synthesize DNA and RNA.
lumefantrine has a longer half-life than artemether, which means it stays in the body for a longer period and provides the sustained antimalarial activity.

Pharmacokinetics:

Absorption

Protein-bound for artemether is 95.4% & lumefantrine is 99.7%

Distribution

Peak Plasma concentration is achieved in 2 hours for artemether and 6-8 hours for lumefantrine

Metabolism

The drug is metabolized by CYP3A4

Metabolites formed are artemether- dihydroartemisinin (DHA) (active) & lumefantrine- desbutyl-lumefantrine

Elimination and Excretion

The elimination half-life for artemether is 2 hours, and for lumefantrine is 3-6 days

According to animal studies, the drug is excreted in the urine.

Adminstartion

Administration:

artemether/lumefantrine is available in tablet form and is typically administered orally. The dosages and timing of the medication may vary depending on the patient’s age, weight, overall health, and the severity of their malaria infection.

It is essential to follow the prescribed dosages and timing of the medication to ensure its effectiveness and minimize the risk of side effects. The tablets should be taken with food or a milky drink to increase absorption. It is essential to complete the entire course of treatment, even if the patient feels better after a few days.

Patients who are unable to swallow the tablets whole, tablets can be crushed and mixed with a small amount of water or food, such as milk or porridge. However, the medication should be consumed immediately after mixing to ensure the total dose is received.

Patient Information Leaflet

Patient information leaflet

Generic Name: artemether/lumefantrine Pronounced: ar-TEM-e-ther-and-LOO-me-FAN-treen

Why do we use artemether/lumefantrine?

artemether/lumefantrine is a combination medication used to treat uncomplicated malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. It is highly effective and recommended first-line treatment for uncomplicated malaria.

artemether is a fast-acting antimalarial drug that rapidly kills the malaria parasites in the bloodstream. At the same time, lumefantrine provides sustained antimalarial activity to ensure that all of the parasites are eliminated. Combining these two drugs in one medication allows for more effective treatment of malaria.

artemether/lumefantrine is effective against multiple strains of malaria and has been shown to have a high cure rate in clinical studies. It is also well-tolerated by most patients and has a low risk of severe side effects.

artemether/lumefantrine

No data available for drug.

DRUG INTERACTION

artemether/lumefantrine

&

artemether/lumefantrine +

Contraindicated

Serious Use Alternative

Monitor Closely

Minor

artemether/lumefantrine

No data available for drug.

DRUG INTERACTION

artemether/lumefantrine

&

artemether/lumefantrine +

Contraindicated

Serious Use Alternative

Monitor Closely

Minor

medtigo

artemether/lumefantrine

Brand Name :

Synonyms :

Class :

Action and Spectrum

Dosing & Uses

Drug Interaction

Adverse Reaction

Black Box Warning

Contraindication / Caution

Pregnancy / Lactation

Pharmacology

Adminstartion

Patient Information Leaflet

CONTACT INFORMATION

ADDRESS

JOIN THE FASTEST GROWING HEALTHCARE COMMUNITY!