Pamaquine

Pamaquine is an 8-aminoquinoline drug used for the treatment of malaria. It is closely related to primaquine.

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History

Pamaquine was the first synthetic antimalarial drug.

Adverse effects

Like primaquine, pamaquine causes haemolytic anaemia in patients with G6PD deficiency. Patients should therefore always be screened for G6PD deficiency prior to being prescribed pamaquine.

Uses

Pamaquine is effective against the hypnozoites of the relapsing malarias (P. vivax and P. ovale); and unlike primaquine, it is also very effective against the erythrocytic stages of all four human malarias. One small clinical trial of pamaquine as a causal prophylactic was disappointing^[1] (whereas primaquine is an extremely effective causal prophylactic).

Dosing

60 mg once daily for 14–21 days.

When treating Plasmodium vivax, an initial course of chloroquine is unnecessary.

Synonyms

• Plasmaquine

References

1. ^ Sweeney AW, Blackburn CRB, KH Rieckmann. (2004). "Short report: The activity of pamaquine, an 8-aminoquinoline drug, against sporozoite-induced infections of Plasmodium vivax (New Guinea strains)". Am J Trop Med Hyg 71 (2): 187-189.