Use of beverages in the administration of artemether lumefantrin in drug resistant <i>Plasmodium berghei</i> malaria infection

Abstract

Oral administration of antimalarials with beverages instead of water to evade drug odour and taste may undermine the current gains recorded in the fight against malaria if the associated drug-nutrient interaction compromises its efficacy. This study determined changes in blood chemistry and parasitaemia of Plasmodium passaged mice treated with artemether lumefantrin administered with selected locally consumed beverages. Using Rane’s test, 40 albino mice inoculated with quinine resistant Q (N1923) Plasmodium berghei were randomized into eight groups of five mice and treated with water and 1.14/6.85 mg/kg artemether lumefantrin co-administered with water, coconut water, Nescafe^® solution, coca cola, aqueous extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces (zobo) and Lipton^® teabag from day 3 to day 5. Antimalarial activity was determined from tail blood smears on day 3 just before treatment and on day 6 and 9. Treatment commenced from day 3 today 5. Liver and kidney function and lipid parameters were determined using standard methods. Data were analyzed for significance of disparity using one-way analysis of variance at 95 % confidence level. Results revealed that coconut water, Lipton and Zobo aqueous extract co-administration with artemeter lumefantrin treatment significantly (p<0.05) reduced and cleared parasitaemia by day 9 like the water administration treatment. The ACT co-administration with aqueous Lipton teabag extracts and coconut water increased triglycerides and HDL levels while there was no significant change (p>0.05) in the other lipids parameters. Liver and kidney function parameters were not significantly different (p>0.05) in the beverage administered treatment when compared to the water administered treatment. Drug-nutrient interaction of artemether lumefantrin with plant derived beverages did not compromise its efficacy and safety.

Keywords: drug resistance, arthemeter lumefantrin, beverages, nutrients