E-drug: malaria drugs
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WHY CHROLOQUINE AND ANTIBIOTICS FOR MALARIA?
Malaria is transmitted by female anopheline mosquitoes four species of
Plasmodium infect human Plasmodium vivax, P.ovale and P.Malariae. Inspite of
Decades of efforts Malaria continue to rank as one of the foremost
infectious global disease. It remain a major public health problem in
tropical and Sub tropical areas of the world. The Disease threatens two
fifth of the world's population and globally, it is estimated that there are
about 300-500 million cases of Malarias per year. The Exact frequency of
Malaria related Mortality is Virtually unknown largely due to a General
Under reporting of Death and inaccurate cause of death. However it is
estimated that 1.5-3Millions Death Occurs annually (who 1994). The Burden of
Malaria falls on the underprivileged inhabitants of under developed
countries Being a disease direct related to poverty. Malaria Mobility and
mortality were largely reduced by use of antimalaria drugs. Currently there
is no effective antimalaria vaccine although the intense efforts made may
result into it. Malaria is now increasing primarily due to evaluation of drug
resistance in P.falciparum malaria
Current malaria treatment is becoming so complicated and
undefined. The combination of chloroquine with other drugs has become an issue
after resistance become a key issue. Many doctors have developed a simple and
shortcut solution to solve this simply chloroquine and antibiotics. It is
used in this way due to claim that chloroquine and antibiotics example
tetracycline, Cotrimaxazole act synegistically. This facts has partially
shown some successfull. In most cases chloroquine and cotrimaxazole which is the
combination used frequently has proved fail to almost 90%.
If this brings sense why don't research and scientists let us be
aware what is the treatment regime how this combination will act on
plasmodium ( malaria parasite), side effect, adverse effects, interaction
if any. By doing this we have a long list of antibiotics existing in
different standard Books and Pharmacopoeia in which a best combination can
be extracted. Because in most places I have visited it is
insisted that chloroquine resistance can be bypassed by combination with
antibiotics but most does not specify which group or particular drug is the best.
But as all of us knows we can't use any antibiotic for treatment of
any disease as they have different mechanisms of action, differ in wide range
of properties and they are not sensitive to all microorganisms
Can we spend our time and think to develop a new substance against
plasmodium which is effective to satisfactory degree??. This is possible as
there as hundreds of herbal which has not yet being studed but shows very
good sign of treatment of malaria only requires time and somebody's
commitments to bring them to modern use and establishment their standards
Some people in other side of the world have never used chloroquine or
drugs from present standard books or a combination of chloroquine with other
drugs. It is not due unavailability although some times economic factor
might contribute even though the commodity can be affordable by many still some
can't afford but here economic factor is not a point
Turning back to something new which has shown good sign.this will be a long
run solution which will result in cheap cost than running to quick
solution which will cost the public at the feature
We must remember that drugs being foreign substance to the body and a
killer poison its use, properties must be well and detail established. We should
not repeat the past experience we should never learn how to use drugs
from experience let us all recall the disaster of thalidomide in Africa
P.A.Ruzangi
P.O.BOX.71647
DAR ES SALAAM
TANZANIA-EAST AFRICA
Email: bpeterb@hotmail.com [manually added by moderator; WB]
[Peter, Malaria is indeed a growing problem. WHO started a new campaign
"Roll back malaria" for that reason.
What do the Tanzanian Standard treatment Guidelines recommend for
chloroquine resistant malaria? In South Africa the second line is the
sulfadoxine+pyrimethamine combination. Doxycycline, quinine and other (more
expensive drugs) are used in complicated cases. The Tanzanian malaria
programme should have some evidence based guidelines. Malaria is not
something individual doctors should experiment with, is my view, as
lives are at stake.
If the parasite is chloroquine resistant, why still give chloroquine
plus an antibiotic?
Any Tanzanian malaria-specialist among the 1260 E-druggers? WB]
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