It is being increasingly felt that the
eroding efficacy of commonly used antimalarials
has contributed substantially to the resurgence
of malaria during last three decades.
Although new antimalarials have appeared
in the market during this time, none has
yet supplemented chloroquine. There are
no drugs in the market or in advanced
stages of development that appear to be
as well tolerated as chloroquine.
Combinations of existing antimalarials
especially those now available in rural
clinics and market hold great potential
for effective, self-administered therapies
for uncomplicated malaria, particularly
where relapses are frequently encountered.
Applying combined therapies to the problem
should demand a high standard of proof
of safety and efficacy in randomised double
blind, placebo controlled trials.
Bulaquin is without any side effects
that have been observed with primaquine.
A comparative data analysis on initial
(0 day pre-drug) and final (+7 day post-drug)
values of haemoglobin, methaemoglobin,
prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin
time and fibrinogen in healthy human subjects
treated with primaquine (15 mg OD x7 days)
and Bulaquin (25 mg OD x7 days) have been
carried out. The study has shown that
one week primaquine treatment leads to
rise in methaemoglobin levels from 3.97%
to 16.32%, which is highly significant
in comparison to the 2.29% and 3.02% levels
of methaemoglobin before and after 7 days
treatment with Bulaquin respectively.
Thus, it is evident that primaquine treatment
produces rise in methaemoglobin contrary
to Bulaquine does not produce rise in
methaemoglobin levels. This result manifests
a clear superiority of Bulaquin over Primaquine.
Bulaquin has been licenced to Nicholas
Piramal India Ltd., Mumbai
for marketing. Nicholas Piramal has introduced
Bulaquin alongwith chloroquine into the
market as a combination pack under the
trade name Aablaquine.
The objective of the combined therapy
is to control P.vivax malaria more effectively
by providing initial cure and thereafter
preventing relapses by use of this combination
pack. It is hoped that the introduction
of this combination pack of Bulaquin should
contribute substantially to the ongoing
National Malaria action programme advocated
by Government of India.
