Ketotifen in treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria

Objective: The present in in vivo study evaluates the potential use of keto tifen, a tricyclic antihistaminic drug, in treatment of Sudanese patients w ith uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria ( 19-38 years). Methods: Four groups of patients (each has 15) were randomly selected and t reated by chloroquine (25mg/kg wt) in comparison with regimen combinations of ketotifen (0.13mg/kg body wt) with chloroquine, ketotifen with Fansidar (33.3mg/kg body wt) and ketotifen with both chloroquine and Fansidar. Results: Prior to treatment all patients had a parasite density that varied from 1x10(3)-3.46x10(4)/mu L blood. On day 2, the highest level of parasit aemia was recorded in patients treated with chloroquine only. Other patient s had a significantly lower parasitaemia (P<0.05) with an average range of 111-243 parasites/300 leucocytes. On day 3 no parasites were detected in gr oups treated by ketotifen and Fansidar or by ketotifen in combination with Fansidar and chloroquine. The mean time of parasite clearance was minimum ( <32 h) amongst patients that had choloroquine administered with ketotifen a lone or with both Fansidar and ketotifen. The cumulative percentage of case s with recrudescence was >39% in groups that had the chloroquine regimen al one or the combination of chloroquine with ketotifen. A single case of recr udescence was also diagnosed on day 28 in the group treated with ketotifen plus fansidar but no recrudescence occurred in the group treated with the c ombination of the three drugs. Conclusion: This study indicates the possible role of ketotifen in treatmen t for falciparum malaria particularly when administered in combination with chloroquine and fansidar.