About artesunate
Artemisinin antimalarial
Used for
- Treatment of severe malaria, including malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum.
Usual adult dose
2.4 mg/kg intravenously at 0, 12, and 24 hours, then every 24 hours until oral treatment is possible.
Usual dose in children
2.4 mg/kg intravenously at 0, 12, and 24 hours, then every 24 hours; infants under 20 kg generally receive 3 mg/kg per dose.
Common side effects
- Anemia
- Low blood counts
- Liver enzyme changes
- Allergic reactions
Important warnings
- Severe malaria requires urgent hospital treatment.
- Follow injectable-product instructions carefully; preparation and administration errors can be dangerous.
- Delayed hemolytic anemia can occur after treatment; monitoring may be needed.
- Complete treatment with a full oral antimalarial course when able.
Pregnancy
Used to treat severe malaria in pregnancy; untreated malaria poses serious risks. Treatment should not be delayed.
Breastfeeding
Limited information is available; treatment of severe malaria generally should not be delayed.
Interactions
- No major interactions are established for short-course treatment; review all medicines with the treating team.
AI-generated from general medical knowledge, not from this product's official leaflet. It may be incomplete or out of date. Not medical advice — ask a pharmacist or doctor before making any decision.