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Artesunate

(Artesunate®)

Artesunate

Drug updated on 4/25/2024

Dosage FormInjection (intravenous; 110 mg of artesunate as a powder in a single-dose vial)
Drug ClassAntimalarials
Ongoing and
Completed Studies		ClinicalTrials.gov

Indication

  • For the initial treatment of severe malaria in adult and pediatric patients.
  • For the treatment of severe malaria with Artesunate for Injection should always be followed by a complete treatment course of an appropriate oral antimalarial regimen.

Summary
This AI-generated content is provided without warranty and may be inaccurate or outdated; it should be used only as a research starting point, with no liability accepted for reliance on it. Learn more.

  • Artesunate (Artesunate) is indicated for the initial treatment of severe malaria in both adult and pediatric patients.
  • A total of 3 systematic reviews/meta-analyses were reviewed, providing insights into the use and effectiveness of Artesunate in treating severe malaria.
  • One review found that intermittent preventive treatment with antimalarial drugs including Artesunate reduces the risk of clinical malaria, anaemia, and hospital admission among infants living in sub-Saharan Africa where there's moderate to high transmission rate.
  • Another study compared artesunate monotherapy with artesunate combined with adjunctive therapies for severe malaria; it concluded that no significant differences exist between these two approaches regarding safety or efficacy.
  • The third document highlighted a potential concern about resistance development against artemisinins like Artesunate especially when administered orally; suggesting a need for dose escalation or therapeutic drug monitoring to optimize drug exposure while preventing resistance development.
  • Despite variations across studies due to factors such as geographical location and patient age group, overall evidence suggests that Artesunate remains an effective option for managing severe cases of Malaria but further research may be needed particularly on its oral administration regimen considering emerging parasite resistances reported from Southeast Asia region specifically.

Product Monograph / Prescribing Information

Document TitleYearSource
Artesunate (Artesunate) Prescribing Information.2021Amivas LLC, Wilmington Delaware

Systematic Reviews / Meta-Analyses

Document TitleYearSource
Meta-analysis on Plasmodium falciparum sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine resistance-conferring mutations in India identifies hot spots for genetic surveillance.2024International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents
Effect of primaquine dose on the risk of recurrence in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.2024The Lancet. Infectious Diseases
Primaquine dose and the risk of haemolysis in patients with uncomplicated Plasmodium vivax malaria: a systematic review and individual patient data meta-analysis.2024The Lancet. Infectious Diseases
Systematic review and meta-analysis of seasonal malaria chemoprevention.2024Ther American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Artesunate-mefloquine therapy for uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy and safety.2024Transactions of The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Pyronaridine‐artesunate for treating uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria.2022Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Intermittent preventive treatment for malaria in infants.2021Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
Safety and efficacy of adjunctive therapy with artesunate in the treatment of severe malaria: a systematic review and meta-analysis.2020Frontiers in pharmacology.
Systematic review of artesunate pharmacokinetics: Implication for treatment of resistant malaria. 2019International Journal of Infectious Diseases

Clinical Practice Guidelines

Document TitleYearSource
KDIGO 2021 clinical practice guideline for the management of glomerular diseases.2021Official Journal of the International Society of Nephrology
Review of UK malaria treatment guidelines 2016 (Public Health England Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention).2018Archives of Disease in Childhood: Education & Practice