Artemether/Lumefantrine

Generic Name: Artemether/Lumefantrine

Brand Names:

Availability: Available with Prescription

Drug Class: Antimalarials

Therapeutic action

  • Antimalarial

Indications

  • Treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria
  • Treatment of uncomplicated malaria due to other Plasmodium species, when chloroquine cannot be used
  • Completion treatment following parenteral therapy for severe malaria

Forms and strengths

  • Co-formulated tablets of artemether/lumefantrine, in blister packs, for a complete treatment for one individual
  • There are 5 different blister packs corresponding to 4 different categories of weight: 
    • 20 mg artemether/120 mg lumefantrine dispersible tablet, blister pack of 6 tablets 
    • 20 mg artemether/120 mg lumefantrine dispersible tablet, blister pack of 12 tablets 
    • 20 mg artemether/120 mg lumefantrine tablet, blister pack of 18 tablets
    • 20 mg artemether/120 mg lumefantrine tablet, blister pack of 24 tablets  
    • 80 mg artemether/480 mg lumefantrine tablet, blister pack of 6 tablets

Dosage and duration

  • The treatment is administered 2 times daily for 3 days. On D1, the first dose is given at 0 hour and the second dose at 8-12 hours. Subsequent doses on D2 and D3 are given 2 times daily (morning and evening).

 

 

Weight

20/120 mg tablet80/480 mg tablet
D1D2D3D1D2D3
5 to < 15 kg1disp tab x 21disp tab x 21disp tab x 2–––
15 to < 25 kg2disp tab x 22disp tab x 22disp tab x 2–––
25 to < 35 kg3 tab x 23 tab x 23 tab x 2–––
≥ 35 kg4 tab x 24 tab x 24 tab x 21 tab x 21 tab x 21 tab x 2

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

  • May cause: headache, dizziness and gastrointestinal disturbances.
  • Administer with caution to patients taking drugs that prolong the QT interval: amiodarone, other antimalarials, antipsychotics, fluconazole, fluoroquinolones, hydroxyzine, macrolides, ondansetron, etc. re-administer the full dose.
  • If the patient vomits within 30 minutes after administration: re-administer the full dose. If the patient vomits between 30 minutes and 1 hour after administration, re-administer half of the dose.
  • Pregnancy: no contra-indication
  • Breast-feeding: no contra-indication

Remarks

  • Take with meals or a fat containing drink (e.g. milk). 
  • Lumefantrine is also called co-artemether.

Storage

- Below 30 °C

Leave tablets in blisters until use. Once a tablet is removed from its blister, it must be administered immediately.