Review
The efficacy of antifolate antimalarial combinations in Africa: a predictive model based on pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic analyses

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-4758(97)01124-1Get rights and content

Abstract

At present, effective treatment for non-severe malaria is the most important malaria control strategy in Africa. Pyrimethamine—sulfadoxine (PSD) is rapidly becoming the first-line treatment in areas of chloroquine resistance, although the parasite chemoresistance factors that dispose towards clinical failure with PSD are still unclear. Here, Bill Watkins and colleagues analyse the relationship between the pharmacokinetic properties of two treatment combinations (PSD and chlorproguanil—dapsone) in vivo and the respective in vitro isobolograms for parasites with specific drug-resistance patterns. From this relationship, they develop a hypothesis that may explain clinical drug failure and differential efficacy between treatments. The deductions can be tested in field studies to validate or refute the model.

References (54)

  • W.M. Watkins

    The changing response of Plasmodium falciparum to antimalarial drugs in East Africa

    Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.

    (1988)
  • P.A. Winstanley

    Chlorproguanil-dapsone for uncomplicated falciparum malaria in young children: pharmacokinetics and therapeutic range

    Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.

    (1997)
  • J.K. Trigg

    Resistance to pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine in Plasmodium falciparum in 12 villages in North East Tanzania and a test of chlorproguanil-dapsone

    Acta Trop.

    (1997)
  • V.A. Snewin

    Polymorphism of the alleles of the merozoite surface antigens MSA1 and MSA2 in Plasmodium falciparum wild isolates from Colombia

    Biochem. Parasitol.

    (1991)
  • S. Thaithong

    Clonal diversity in a single isolate of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

    Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.

    (1984)
  • A.D. Brandling-Bennett

    Chloroquine treatment of falciparum malaria in an area of Kenya of intermediate chloroquine resistance

    Trans. R. Soc. Trop. Med. Hyg.

    (1988)
  • E.S. Hurwitz et al.

    Resistance of Plasmodium falciparum to sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (Fansidar) in a refugee camp in Thailand

    Lancet

    (1981)
  • W. Peters
    (1970)
  • Chemotherapy of malaria and resistance to antimalarials

    Tech. Rep. Series

    (1973)
  • R. Ferone

    Folate metabolism in malaria

    Bull. WHO

    (1977)
  • I.W. Sherman

    Biochemistry of Plasmodium (malarial parasites)

    Microbiol. Rev.

    (1979)
  • J. Krungkrai et al.

    De novo and salvage biosynthesis of pteroylpentaglutamates in the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum

    Mol. Biochem. Parasitol.

    (1989)
  • J.D. Chulay et al.

    Synergistic antimalarial activity of pyrimethamine and sulfadoxine against Plasmodium falciparum in vitro

    Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg.

    (1984)
  • W.K. Milhous

    In vitro activities of and mechanisms of resistance to antifolate antimalarial drugs

    Antimicrob. Agents Chemother.

    (1985)
  • P.S. Hewlett

    Measurement of the potencies of drug mixtures

    Biometrics

    (1969)
  • M.C. Berenbaum

    A method for testing synergy with any number of agents

    J. Infect. Dis.

    (1978)
  • A. Dieckmann et al.

    Stage-specific sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to antifolates

    Z. Parasitenkd.

    (1986)
  • Cited by (137)

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text