Description

Artesunate is the sodium salt of the hemisuccinate ester of artemisinin. It is rapidly absorbed with peak plasma levels occurring 1.5 hours after oral administration. It is almost entirely converted to dihydroartemisinin, the active metabolite.

Elimination half life of artesunate is 45 minutes. Although it has a short elimination half-life, artemisinin reduces parasite numbers by a factor of approximately 10,000 in each asexual life cycle. In 3 day ACT regimens; the artesunate component is present in the body during only two asexual parasite life cycles. This exposure to 3 days of artesunate reduces parasite numbers (load) by a factor of approximately 10000 in each asexual cycle.

Sulphadoxine is readily absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract.Peak blood concentrations occur about 4 hours after an oral dose. The elimination half-life is 4 to 9 days. Around 90-95% is bound to plasma proteins. It is widely distributed to body tissues and fluids, passes into foetal circulation and is detectable in breast milk. The drug is excreted in urine, primarily unchanged.

It acts by inhibiting the bacterial enzyme responsible for incorporation of para-amino-benzoic-acid in the synthesis of folic acid.

Pyrimethamine acts by inhibiting plasmodial dihydrofolate reductase thus indirectly blocking the synthesis of nucleic acids in the malarial parasite. It is a slow acting blood schizontocide.

It is almost completely absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract and peak plasma concentrations occur 2-6 hours after an oral dose. The plasma half-life is around 4 days. Pyrimethamine crosses the blood brain barrier and the placenta and is detectable in breast milk.

Dose

TeSunate SP (Adults)

Artesunate 200mg tablet, one daily for 3 days (4 mg / kg body weight)

Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine 2 tabs. (1500 mg+75mg) on day one (25/1.25 mg /kgbw)

TeSunate SP Junior

Artesunate 100mg tablet, one daily for 3 days (4 mg / kg body weight)

Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine 2 tabs (1000 mg+50mg) on day one (25/1.25 mg /kgbw)

Please note that the daily dose of oral artesunate in a short duration combination therapy is 4 mg / kg bw given once a day.

Pack

Each Combikit contains :

Dose

Day one: Two tablets of Sulphadoxine + Pyrimethamine and One tablet of Artesunate

Day two: One tablet of Artesunate

Day three: One tablet of Artesunate.