AMODIAQUINE = AQ oral

Prescription under medical supervision

Do not administer the combination artesunate-amodiaquine as separate tablets (i.e. artesunate tablets + amodiaquine tablets). Use co-formulated tablets.

Therapeutic action

– Antimalarial

Indications

– Treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria, in combination with artesunate
– Treatment of uncomplicated malaria due to other Plasmodium species, in combination with artesunate, when chloroquine cannot be used
– Completion treatment following parenteral therapy for severe malaria, in combination with artesunate

Forms and strengths

– 200 mg amodiaquine hydrochloride tablet, containing 153 mg amodiaquine base

Dosage and duration

– Child and adult: 10 mg base/kg once daily for 3 days, in combination with artesunate

Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions

– Do not administer in the event of previous severe adverse reaction to treatment with amodiaquine (e.g. hypersensitivity reaction, hepatitis, leucopenia, agranulocytosis).
– Do not administer to patients taking efavirenz.
– May cause: gastrointestinal disturbances, pruritus, cough, insomnia.
– Pregnancy: no contra-indication
– Breast-feeding: no contra-indication

Remarks

– Also comes as co-packaged dispersible tablets for seasonal malaria chemoprevention in children: amodiaquine 153 mg + sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine 500 mg/25 mg and amodiaquine 76.5 mg + sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine 250 mg/12.5mg.
– Storage: below 25 °C -