Sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to chloroquine, amodiaquine and mefloquine in Ibadan, Nigeria

Abstract

The schizontocidal effect of chloroquine was compared to that of amodiaquine in vivo and mefloquine in vitro. In the in-vivo study, 32 patients were randomly given chloroquine whilst 29 received amodiaquine. The mean parasite clearance time was 2.5 days for chloroquine and 2.4 days for amodiaquine. These times were not significantly different. The cure rate in both groups up to day 14 was 100%. In the in-vitro study, three isolates of Plasmodium falciparum were compared for their sensitivity to chloroquine and mefloquine. In all three isolates schizogony was inhibited at a concentration of 0.8 x 10-6 mol/l of either drug. It was concluded that chloroquine is still an effective schizontocide and should remain the drug of choice for the treatment of P. falciparum in the Ibadan area.