Antimalarial (artemisinin derivative; injectable — severe malaria)
Treatment of severe malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum in adults and children, administered intravenously, usually followed by oral consolidation therapy with a long-acting antimalarial.
Also known as: Artesunato injetável
WHO-prequalified model SmPC (MA152) and EMA (Artesunate Amivas).
WHO-prequalified model SmPC (MA152) and EMA (Artesunate Amivas).
No documented drug–drug interactions for this medicine.
No direct interaction is known between artesunate and alcohol; caution is advised during malaria treatment.
Limit alcohol intake during treatment.
WHO-prequalified model SmPC (MA152) and EMA (Artesunate Amivas) — WHO Guidelines for malaria: https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/guidelines-for-malaria
Artesunate (oral or injectable) can be given with or without food, with no relevant food interaction.
May be taken with or without food, consistently.
WHO-prequalified model SmPC (MA152) and EMA (Artesunate Amivas) — WHO Guidelines for malaria: https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/guidelines-for-malaria
Data in severe hepatic impairment are limited; artesunate should be used with caution, with monitoring.
Use with caution in severe liver disease.
WHO-prequalified model SmPC (MA152) and EMA (Artesunate Amivas) — WHO Guidelines for malaria: https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/guidelines-for-malaria
Artemisinin derivatives may slightly prolong the QT interval; use with caution in patients with QT prolongation or with QT-prolonging drugs.
Monitor ECG in at-risk patients.
WHO-prequalified model SmPC (MA152) and EMA (Artesunate Amivas) — WHO Guidelines for malaria: https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/guidelines-for-malaria
Injectable artesunate is the drug of choice for severe malaria in pregnancy (all trimesters); the treatment benefit clearly outweighs the risk.
Use for severe malaria in pregnancy, in all trimesters, per WHO guidelines.
Excreted into breast milk in small amounts; compatible with breastfeeding under supervision.
No specific additional contraception.
WHO-prequalified model SmPC (MA152) and EMA (Artesunate Amivas) — WHO Guidelines for malaria: https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/guidelines-for-malaria
Clinical and educational support tool. The information does not replace a medical prescription or the opinion of a qualified healthcare professional.
Artemisinin prodrug with rapid action on erythrocytic Plasmodium forms: the endoperoxide is activated by parasitic heme iron, generating free radicals that damage parasite proteins and membranes. It rapidly reduces parasitemia, including in severe malaria.
After intravenous administration, artesunate is rapidly hydrolyzed to the active metabolite dihydroartemisinin (DHA), an endoperoxide that, activated by intraparasitic iron, generates reactive species that damage parasite proteins and prevent multiplication.
Administered intravenously; artesunate is rapidly converted to DHA (conversion half-life of minutes), reaching therapeutic DHA concentrations immediately.
Artesunate is extensively metabolized by hydrolysis (plasma and hepatic esterases) to DHA, the main active metabolite; DHA is then glucuronidated and excreted in bile and urine.
Artesunate: elimination half-life 3–29 min; DHA: 40–95 min (WHO model SmPC, MA152).
Medicines from the same therapeutic group (ATC classification) or the same pharmacological class.
