[Comparative study of artemisinin suppositories and piperaquine phosphate in the treatment of falciparum malaria].

Artemisinin, developed by Chinese scientists, is a new type of anti-malarial drug with quick effect and low toxicity. Since its solubility in water or oil is very low, it cannot be made into a clear injection to be given intramuscularly or intravenously for emergency use. The artemisinin suppositories used in the study was provided by the institute of Chinese Materia Medica in 1982. Phase I and Phase II clinical trials of the drug were made by Guangzhou College of TCM. The results showed that the therapeutic effect of Artemisinin suppositories was satisfactory with no apparent side effects. The total dosage recommended was 2800-3200 mg. In 1986, fifty-six adults with falciparum malaria were treated with a total dose of 2800 mg Artemisinin suppositories for 3 days and randomly compared with a control group of Piperaquine phosphate in the Dongfang Town Hospital, Dongfang ( ) County of Hainan Island. The parasite clearance time in Artemisinin suppositories group (71.8 +/- 16.0 hrs) was significantly faster than that of Piperaquine phosphate group (100.3 +/- 20.3hrs), but recrudescence rate by 28 days (48.2%) was much higher than that of Piperaquine phosphate (17.0%). Artemisinin suppositories is simple to administrate and therefore it could be applied in endemic area of remote countryside and to the patients of incapable of oral dosing.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes