Piperaquine
Encyclopedia
Piperaquine is an antimalarial drug
, a bisquinoline first synthesised in the 1960s, and used extensively in China and Indochina as prophylaxis and treatment during the next 20 years. Usage declined in the 1980s as piperaquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum
arose and artemisinin-based antimalarials became available. However, Chinese scientists discovered that piperaquine was suitable for artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs).
Piperaquine is characterized by slow absorption and a long biological half-life, making it a good partner drug with artemisinin derivatives which are fast acting but have a short biological half-life.
Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (Eurartesim) was submitted for approval to the European Medicines Agency
in 2009.
Antimalarial drug
Antimalarial medications, also known as antimalarials, are designed to prevent or cure malaria. Such drugs may be used for some or all of the following:* Treatment of malaria in individuals with suspected or confirmed infection...
, a bisquinoline first synthesised in the 1960s, and used extensively in China and Indochina as prophylaxis and treatment during the next 20 years. Usage declined in the 1980s as piperaquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum is a protozoan parasite, one of the species of Plasmodium that cause malaria in humans. It is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. Malaria caused by this species is the most dangerous form of malaria, with the highest rates of complications and mortality...
arose and artemisinin-based antimalarials became available. However, Chinese scientists discovered that piperaquine was suitable for artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs).
Piperaquine is characterized by slow absorption and a long biological half-life, making it a good partner drug with artemisinin derivatives which are fast acting but have a short biological half-life.
Dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (Eurartesim) was submitted for approval to the European Medicines Agency
European Medicines Agency
The European Medicines Agency is a European agency for the evaluation of medicinal products. From 1995 to 2004, the European Medicines Agency was known as European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products.Roughly parallel to the U.S...
in 2009.