Artesunate

Chloroquine diphosphate, mefloquine, quinine, and pyrimethamine were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (Saint-Quentin-Fallavier, France). Artemisinin was obtained from TCI Europe N.V. (Eschborn, Germany) and atovaquone from GlaxoSmithKline (Brentford, UK). Artesunate was obtained from Sanofi (Paris, France) and artemether from Rhone Poulenc Rorer (Paris, France). Dihydroartemisinin and monodesetylamodiaquine (amodiaquine/AQ) were obtained from WWARN (http://www.wwarn.org/). Artemisone was synthesized according to published protocols (19 (link)).

artesunate-amodiaquine (Coarsucam^®, Sanofi Aventis, France; 25/50/100 mg artesunate and 67.5/135/270 mg amodiaquine), single daily dose, was administered for three days according to body weight: ≥4.5- < 9 kg (25 mg/67.5 mg), one tablet/dose; ≥9- < 18 kg (50 mg/135 mg), one tablet/dose; ≥18- < 36 kg (100 mg/270 mg), one tablet/dose; ≥36 kg (100 mg/270 mg), two tablets/dose. Artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem^®, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland; 20 mg artemether and 120 mg lumefantrine) was administered at zero and eight hours on the first day, and then twice daily for two subsequent days according to body weight: 5-14 kg, one tablet/dose; 15-24 kg, two tablets/dose; 25-34 kg, three tablets/dose; 35 kg and over, four tablets/dose. All drug doses were administered by study nurses at the clinic. At the clinic, children were observed for one hour after each drug administration. Treatments were re-administered if the child vomited within the observation period. Children who vomited the re-administered dose were withdrawn.