Plasmodium herghei: efficacy and safety of combinations of chloroquine and promethazine in chloroqnine resistant infections in Gravid mice.

Abstract

Efficacy and safety of combinations of Chloroquine (CQ) and doses of Promethazine (PR) against CQ resistant Plasmodium herghei infections in gravid mice was evaluated. Parasites were cleared faster in mice treated with CQ combined with doses of PR ranging from 20mg/kg to 50mg/kg (3.4 ± 0.5 to 2.7± 0.7) compared with CQ alone (4.7 ± 0.8) (P<0.5). Parturition resulting in live pups in animals treated with CQ and 20mg/ kg and 30mg/kgof PR (81%) was significantly higher than in animals treated with CQ alone (44%) or saline (13%). Mean birth weight of pups delivered by infected gravid animals treated with CQ and 30mg/kg or 40mg/kg of PR (1.51 ± 0.16 or 1.56 ± 0.16) was significantly higher than animals treated with CQ alone (1.33±0.13) (/> =0.00004. 0.0014 respectively). No gross malformations were observed in pups delivered by infected or non-infected animals treated with the combinations of chloroquine and Promethazine.