A comparison of amodiaquine and chloroquine in the treatment therapy of falciparum malaria in Kenya.

During June-August 1989 158 symptomatic outpatients with P. falciparum malaria were randomly treated with either amodiaquine or chloroquine 25 mg/kg divided over three days. Amodiaquine (Camoquin Parke-Davis) was significantly more effective in terms of the rate of parasite clearance 2.4 vs. 3.1 days; parasite clearance day 7 87% vs. 41%; and clinical amelioration 98% vs. 68%. Moreover this study demonstrates the lack of therapeutic toxicity of amodiaquine. Globally tolerance was better with amodiaquine than with chloroquine; in particular cutaneous side effects were less frequent with amodiaquine. There was no evidence of granulocyte or gross hepatic toxicity. These results suggest that WHO recommendations concerning amodiaquine should be questioned. In view of its low cost demonstrated efficacy and lack of proven therapeutic toxicity amodiaquine should be considered as a viable replacement for chloroquine in areas with high levels of clinical chloroquine failure. (authors)