- Treatment of malaria:
- Adults and children >45kg: 3 tabs *1
- Children:
- 5-10kg: ½ tab
- 11-20kg: 1 tab
- 21-30kg: 1½ tab
- 31-45kg: 2 tabs
- Prevention of malaria:
- Adults: 1 tab weekly
- Children- taken once weekly:
- 5-10kg: ¼ tab
- 11-20kg: ½ tab
- 21-30kg: ¾ tab
- 31-45kg: 1 tab
- >45kg: 1½ tab
- Intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in pregnancy
- Usual dose: 25mg/kg of sulfa component as a single dose.
- First dose in 2nd trimester (20-24 weeks)
- Second dose in 3rd trimester (28-32 weeks)
- The 2 doses are separated with a 4 week period.
Tablet: 500mg/25mg
Suspension: 250mg/12.5mg per 5mL
To be given without regard to food.
Sulfadoxine antagonizes dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) enzyme thereby interfering with microbial folic acid synthesis whereas pyrimethamine antagonizes dihydrofolate-reductase (DHFR) which converts dihydrofolic acid (DHFA) to tetrahydrofolic acid (THFA) hence blocking the biosynthesis of purines and pyrimidines, which are essential for DNA synthesis and cell multiplication of plasmodia.
- Ski rashes
- GI disturbances
- Mild headache
- Steven-Johnson syndrome
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis
- Severe renal insufficiency
- Blood dyscrasias
- Hypersensitivity to components
- Megaloblastic anemia due to folate deficiency
- Infants < 2 months
- Trimethoprim
- Primaquine
- Penicillamine
Drug Status
| Availability | Prescription or OTC by Pharmacist |
| Pregnancy | Can be used |
| Breastfeeding | Unknown |
| Schedule | Not controlled |
| BRAND NAME | STRENGTH | FORMULATION | PACK SIZE | MANUFACTURER | DISTRIBUTOR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcidin SP | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 75’s | Cosmos Ltd | Cosmos Ltd |
| Falcigo | 250mg/12.5mg per 5mL | Suspension | 10mL | Biodeal Labs | Biodeal Labs |
| Falcigo | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 3’s | Biodeal Labs | Biodeal Labs |
| Fanlar | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 75’s | Dawa Ltd | Dawa Ltd |
| G-scope | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 3’s | Guilin Pharma | Tridem Pharma |
| Malacide | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 60’s | Square Pharma | Ace Pharma |
| Malodar | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 3’s | Laboratory & Allied | Laboratory & Allied |
| Metakelfin | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 45’s | Pfizer Labs | Pfizer Labs |
| Methomine S | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 1000’s | Universal Corporation | Universal Corporation |
| Orodar | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 3’s | Elys Chemicals | Elys Chemicals |
| Sulphadar | 500mg/25mg | Tablet | 90’s | Shelys Pharma | Beta Healthcare |