About primaquine
Antimalarial; 8-aminoquinoline
Used for
- Prevents relapse of Plasmodium vivax and P. ovale malaria after acute treatment.
- Prevents malaria in certain travel or military settings.
Usual adult dose
For relapse prevention: 30 mg base by mouth once daily for 14 days, after acute malaria treatment; dose may vary by region.
Usual dose in children
For relapse prevention: 0.5 mg base/kg once daily for 14 days; maximum 30 mg base daily.
Common side effects
- Nausea, abdominal pain, or vomiting
- Headache or dizziness
- Anemia, especially with G6PD deficiency
- Rarely, abnormal heart rhythm
Important warnings
- Test for G6PD deficiency before use; significant deficiency can cause severe hemolysis.
- Stop and seek urgent medical assessment for dark urine, jaundice, pallor, or breathlessness.
- Not used alone to treat an acute malaria attack.
- Dose and duration depend on malaria species and local guidance.
Pregnancy
Avoid during pregnancy because fetal G6PD status is unknown and hemolysis is possible; use an appropriate alternative.
Breastfeeding
Avoid if the breastfed infant has G6PD deficiency or their status is unknown.
Interactions
- Other medicines that can cause hemolysis may increase blood-cell damage.
- Medicines that prolong the QT interval may increase abnormal heart-rhythm risk.
- Quinacrine can increase primaquine toxicity.
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 It may be incomplete or out of date.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.