Abstract

Treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria with halofantrine was carried out at ITCI Hospital, Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia in 1990/1991. This study was conducted to assess the efficacy and safety of halofantrine. Eighty out of 96 malaria falciparum patients who had been selected according to WHO criteria for the in-vivo sensitivity test were treated with 500 mg halofantrine 6 hourly for three doses orally. The other 16 patients were treated with mefloquine 750 mg single dose orally as a control group. All patients were hospitalized for 3-5 days and followed up on day 7, 14, 21 and 28. The cure rate of halofantrine was 98.4% (62/63) and relapse rate was 1.6% (1/63) as a late RI. The mean fever clearance time (FCT) and parasite clearance time (PCT) were 22.4 ± 2.7 h and 58.3 ± 5.2 h respectively. Tlte FCT was significantly different compared to that of mefloquine (9.3 ± 2.4 h). Some haematological abnormalities appeared to be associated with malaria but no biochemical abnormalities were found. Mild diarrhoea (11.5%), nausea (6.4%), palpitation (2.6%) and dizziness (1.3%) were observed as side effects of halofantrine but disappeared without treatment.This study showed that halofantrine is effective and safe for the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in a chloroquine resistant area.