Halofantrine in the treatment of acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria in the Philippines.

In an open clinical trial, thirty patients 14 to 44 years old and with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria were given halofantrine hydrochloride 500 mg (2 tablets) 6-hourly for 3 doses, a total dose of 1500 mg. All 30 patients were cured with a mean asexual parasite clearance in 6 patients consisting of mild to moderate headache, dizziness and abdominal muscle spasm. Drug-induced hemolysis did not occur in two G6PD deficient patients. Twenty-three out of 28 isolates tested (82%) were resistant to amodiaquine, 3(11%) were resistant to the sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination, and all were sensitive to chloroquine, quinine and mefloquine by in vitro microtest. The study confirms the efficacy of halofantrine hydorchloride as a blood schizonticide in falciparum malaria. (Author)