Global Advanced Research Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences (GARJMMS) ISSN: 2315-5159
January 2014 Vol. 3(1), pp. 001-007
Copyright © 2014 Global Advanced Research Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Efficacy and safety of artemisinin – naphthoquine (ARCO®) in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum among Sudanese adults

Bakri Y.M. Nour^1,2*, Naser Mahmoud M. Hamed², Ali Babekir Habour³, Abd Alla Abd Elkariem^1,3, Ahmed A. Mohamadani^2,3 and Osman K Saeed^1,4

¹Blue Nile National Institute for Communicable Diseases, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan
²Faculty of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan
³Faculty of Medicine, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan
⁴Wad Medani College for Medical Sciences and Technology, Wad Medani, Sudan

*Corresponding Author E-mail: saeedosman82@yahoo.com    

Accepted 17 December, 2013

Abstract

Although artemisinin combined therapies (ACTs) offer great hope for Africa in controlling malaria, the ideal combination regimen remains uncertain. ARCO is a single dose treatment and proven to be efficacious, so this study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of this new generation ACT in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum among Sudanese adults. From November 2006 to March 2008, the efficacy and safety of Artemisinin + Naphthoquine (ARCO) in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum was investigated in Eastern and Central of Sudan. 129 patients were enrolled in this study, and were treated with ARCO. All patients were followed up for 28 days according to the WHO-in vivo protocol-2003. The results obtained by ARCO study revealed that the fever clearance time (FCT) was (12.0 +/- 4.8 hours) and parasite clearance time (PCT) was (34.8+/-12.6 hours), Overall clinical and parasitological outcome showed that adequate clinical and parasitological response (ACPR) was 120/122 (98.4%), early treatment failure (ETF) was 0/122 (0%) and late clinical and parasitological failure (LCPF) was 2/122 (1.6) and no Gametogenesis was observed during the follow-up days. ARCO proved to be an effective ACT, was very safe and well tolerated, no adverse reaction detected -There was no new events and no adverse effects on bone marrow

Keywords: Sudan, malaria treatment, ACT, ARCO.