Injectable Artesunate
Injectable artesunate is administered intravenously (IV) or intramuscularly (IM) for the treatment of severe malaria caused by P. falciparum. In the Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria 3rd edition, the WHO strongly recommends the use of IV or IM artesunate in adults and children suffering from severe malaria (including infants, pregnant women in all trimesters, and lactating women) for at least 24 hours and until the patient can tolerate a full course of oral ACT therapy.
Please refer to the full prescribing information and/or patient information supplied by the relevant marketing authorization holder for your country, as well as local policies and treatment guidelines as they may vary from country to country.
Manufacturers listed on this page meet internationally agreed quality standards. For more information on quality assured medicines, refer to the WHO Prequalification Programme and the Global Fund's strategy on quality assurance of medicines.
| Manufacturer | Registration status | Formulation |
|---|---|---|
| Guilin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. | WHO prequalified |
Artesunate 30 mg, 60mg and 120mg powder for injection; 1 vial of artesunate powder is co-packed with 1 ampoule of sodium bicarbonate injection and 1 ampoule of sodium chloride injection |
| Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd | WHO prequalified |
MA152 - Artesunate Sodium Bicarbonate + Sodium Chloride - 60mg + 50mg/ml + 9mg/ml - Powder and solvent for solution for injection - Macleods Pharmaceuticals Ltd – INDIA |
| Ipca Laboratories | WHO prequalified |
Artesunate + Sodium Bicarbonate + Sodium Chloride; Powder, solvent and diluent for solution for injection 60mg + 5%w/v + 0.9%w/v |
Injectable artesunate is administered intravenously (IV) or intramuscularly (IM) for the treatment of severe malaria caused by P. falciparum. In the Guidelines for the Treatment of Malaria 3rd edition, the WHO strongly recommends the use of IV or IM artesunate in adults and children suffering from severe malaria (including infants, pregnant women in all trimesters, and lactating women) for at least 24 hours and until the patient can tolerate a full course of oral ACT therapy.
Dosing table
| Category | Dose |
|---|---|
| Children <20kg | 3 mg/kg bodyweight per dose |
| Children and adults >20kg | 2.4 mg/kg bodyweight per dose |
*When using artesunate as an IM injection, give adults and children a single intramuscular dose of artesunate (as a pre-referral) and refer to an appropriate facility for further care.
Dosing regimen:
- Day 1 Dose 1: on admission (0 Hours)
- Day 1 Dose 2: 12 hours later
- Day 2 Dose 3: 24 hours after first dose
