Treatment of Plasmodium falciparum malaria with a combination of amodiaquine and tetracycline in Central Thailand

Abstract

A combination of the drugs amodiaquine and tetracycline was used in a clinical trial at Phrabuddhabat Hospital in Central Thailand for treating Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Of the 51 patients who completed the 28-day follow-up, 49 (96%) were cured; in two cases the parasitaemia was cleared within seven days of initial therapy but returned within 28 days (RI response). Only one patient experienced a mild and transient side effect of nausea. The treatment regimen was cheap and the drugs are readily available commercially. Results of this study suggest that amodiaquine-tetracycline combination offers a practical, safe and highly effective method for treating uncomplicated falciparum malaria.