Composition
Inj 30 mg/60 mg/120 mg: Artesunate 30 mg/60 mg/120 mg; amp.
Indications & Dosage
Severe malaria including cerebral malaria and as a second-line treatment in chloroquine resistant falciparum malaria: BY IM OR IV INF: Adults: First dose 120 mg; followed by 60 mg after 4-6 hr; then 60 mg after every 24 hr once daily. The total duration of treatment is 5 consecutive days. Total doses are 360-480 mg for adults. BY IM OR IV INF: Children age 7 yrs or more: same as adult dose. Below 7 yrs age: 1.5 mg/kg. Both the age group children should be given the sec dose after 4-6 hr; then one dose after every 24 hr once daily. The total duration of treatment is 5 consecutive days.
Administration
Deep IM injection or slow IV infusion.Dissolve 60 mg of Artesunate with 1 ml of 5% sodium bicarbonate solution for IM injection before use. Dissolve 60 mg of Artesunate with 1 ml of 5% sodium bicarbonate solution for IV infusion and add 5 ml of 0.9% sodium chloride solution for injection before use to make 1 mlcontaining 10 mg of Artesunate. Injection must follow immediately soon after dissolution, if the solution appears cloudy or sediment occurs, it should be rejected.
Contraindications
Family history of suddendeath, electrolyte disturbances, concomitant use with other drugs known to cause QT-interval prolongation.
Precautions
Congestive heart failure accompanied by reduced ventricular ejection fraction, history of arrhythmias, bradycardia, history of congenital QT interval prolongation
Interactions
Antioxidant drugs e.g. vitamin E, C. Additive effect seen with chloroquine, antagonistic effect seen with pyrimethamine and sulphonamides
Pregnancy
Contraindicated
Lactation
Caution advised
Side Effects
Abdominal pain, diarrhoea, headache, fever, rash, nausea, transient and reversible reticulocytopenia, bradycardia, transient first degree heart block and transient & reversible elevation of serum transaminases