Rational use of drugs against Plasmodium falciparum

Recent studies on resistance to blood schizontocides in Plasmodium falcipar um give a rational basis for the use of artemisinins combined with arylamin oalcohols for the treatment of uncomplicated chloroquine-resistant malaria in Africa. In areas where such combinations are introduced, there is reason to believe that the continued use of chloroquine in the community will hel p protect the new drugs from resistance. In view of several laboratory stud ies, combinations of artemisinins with antifolates or chloroquine pose a ri sk of antagonistic interaction. This can be avoided by use of the artemisin in and the companion drug sequentially.