Lonart Versus (Vs) P-alaxin

Lonart and p-alaxin are two popular antimalarial drugs in Nigeria. Lonart contains artemether and lumefantrine which is the recommended first line therapy for uncomplicated p. falciparum. On the other hand, p-alaxin comes with dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine.

P-alaxin

Difference Between Lonart And P-alaxin

Lonart is made in India by bliss GVS pharma limited founded in 1984. Lonart is marketed in Nigeria by greenlife pharmaceuticals and was introduced in 2006.

Artemether/lumefantrine is a combination of the two medications artemether and lumefantrine. It is used to treat malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum that is not treatable with chloroquine. It is not typically used to prevent malaria. It is taken by mouth.

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P Alaxin is a product of Bliss GVS Pharma Ltd and marketed by Greenlife Pharmaceutical. It has proved effective in the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria. It has been evaluated in clinical trials in adults, children and infants of 6 months and over.

P-alaxin contains Dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine. It is used in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria.

Dihydroartemisinin is the active metabolite of all artemisinin compounds (artemisinin, artesunate, artemether, etc.) and is also available as a drug in itself. It is a semi-synthetic derivative of artemisinin and is widely used as an intermediate in the preparation of other artemisinin-derived antimalarial drugs.

Piperaquine is an antimalarial drug, a bisquinoline first made in the 1960s, and used extensively in China and Indochina as prophylaxis and treatment during the next 20 years. Piperaquine is characterized by slow absorption and a long biological half-life, making it a good partner drug with artemisinin derivatives which are fast acting but have a short biological half-life.

Lonart Versus P-alaxin

Research carried out in Uganda showed that dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine containing p-alaxin has some advantages over artemether and lumefantrine containing lonart. P-alaxin-treated patients had a significantly lower risk of recurrent parasitemia in both falciparum and non-falciparum infections. It also offered other benefits, including a lower risk of gametocytemia after therapy and better hemoglobin recovery.

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The significantly lower risk of recurrent parasitemia after treatment with p-alaxin compared to lonart is likely explained by differences in the terminal elimination half-lives of the two partner drugs. Piperaquine, a bisquinoline, is estimated to have an elimination half-life of 2–3 wk compared to lumefantrine, a quinoline, which has an estimated elimination half-life of 4–10 d.

P-alaxin has a simpler, once-daily dosing schedule compared to lonart, which is provided twice daily, ideally with a fatty meal.