Primaquine

Primaquine is an antimalarial medication used to prevent and treat malaria. It is particularly effective against the Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale species of the malaria parasite, which have dormant liver stage parasites that can reactivate and cause a relapse of the disease. Primaquine is also used in the treatment of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a fungal infection commonly occurring in people with AIDS.

Medical Uses

Primaquine is used both in the treatment and prevention of malaria. It is particularly effective against the Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale species, which have dormant liver stage parasites that can reactivate and cause a relapse of the disease. Primaquine is also used in the treatment of Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), a fungal infection commonly occurring in people with AIDS.

Side Effects

Common side effects of Primaquine include nausea, vomiting, and stomach cramps. A more serious side effect is hemolytic anemia, particularly in individuals with G6PD deficiency. This is a condition where red blood cells break down faster than the body can make them due to a lack of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Pharmacology

Primaquine is a prodrug, its pharmacologically active metabolite is unknown. It is thought to work by generating reactive oxygen species or by interfering with the parasite's ability to protect itself from them.

History

Primaquine was first made in the 1940s and came into medical use in 1952. It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines, the safest and most effective medicines needed in a health system.

See Also

• Antimalarial medication
• Malaria
• Pneumocystis pneumonia
• G6PD deficiency

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