Last update Jan. 30, 2022

Artemisinin Derivatives

Compatible

Safe substance and/or breastfeeding is the best option.

Artemisinin and its derivatives (artemether, artemotile, artenimol and artesunate) are sesquiterpene lactones extracted from Artemisia annua, a plant used in China against malaria.

They are used, especially artemether and artesunate, along with other antimalarials (mefloquine, lumefantrine, pyrimethamine-sulfadoxine) in the treatment of malaria. Oral, intravenous or rectal administration.

It is excreted in human milk in a clinically non-significant amount (Jain 2015, Jansen 2006) and no problems have been observed in infants whose mothers took it. (WHO 2002)

Various medical societies and expert consensus consider the use of this medication safe during breastfeeding (Saito 2018, WHO 2010), especially if the infants are not premature or newborn and weigh more than 5 kg. (CDC 2019, Adjei 2009)

WHO List of Essential Medicines 2002: compatible with breastfeeding. (WHO 2002)


See below the information of these related products:

  • Lumefantrine (Safe substance and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)
  • Mefloquine Hydrochloride (Safe substance and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)
  • Pyrimethamine (Safe substance and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)
  • Sulfadoxine (Fairly safe. Mild or unlikely adverse effects. Compatible under certain circumstances. Follow-up recommended. Read Commentary.)

Alternatives

  • Chloroquine (Safe substance and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)
  • Mefloquine Hydrochloride (Safe substance and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)
  • Quinine (Safe substance and/or breastfeeding is the best option.)

Suggestions made at e-lactancia are done by APILAM team of health professionals, and are based on updated scientific publications. It is not intended to replace the relationship you have with your doctor but to compound it. The pharmaceutical industry contraindicates breastfeeding, mistakenly and without scientific reasons, in most of the drug data sheets.

Jose Maria Paricio, Founder & President of APILAM/e-Lactancia

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Other names

Artemisinin Derivatives is also known as


Artemisinin Derivatives in other languages or writings:

Group

Artemisinin Derivatives belongs to this group or family:

Tradenames

Main tradenames from several countries containing Artemisinin Derivatives in its composition:

List of 8 tradenames

Pharmacokinetics

Variable Value Unit
Oral Bioavail. 80 %
Molecular weight 298 - 406 daltons
Protein Binding 95 (artenimol: 47 - 76) %
VD 0.8 l/Kg
Tmax 1 - 3 hours
T½ 1 - 2.2 hours

References

  1. CDC. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Tan K, Arguin PM. Chapter 4. Travel-Related Infectious Diseases. Malaria. CDC Health Information for International Travel. 2019 Full text (link to original source)
  2. Saito M, Gilder ME, McGready R, Nosten F. Antimalarial drugs for treating and preventing malaria in pregnant and lactating women. Expert Opin Drug Saf. 2018 Nov;17(11):1129-1144. Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  3. Jain JP, Ganesan S, Lefevre G, Sunkara G. Estimating of the amount of artemether and lumefantrine excreted through breast milk. Abstracts of the 9th European Congress on Tropical Medicine and International Health. Poster Session 1-035. Trop Med Int Health. 2015;20 (Suppl. S1):184-5. Abstract. Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  4. WHO. Guidelines for the treatment of malaria. 2nd ed. Geneva: WHO, 2010 2nd ed. Geneva: WHO, 2010 Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)
  5. Adjei GO, Goka BQ, Binka F, Kurtzhals JA. Artemether-lumefantrine: an oral antimalarial for uncomplicated malaria in children. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther. 2009 Aug;7(6):669-81. Abstract
  6. Jansen FH, Jansen-Luts A, Ameye C, Penali, L. Is artesunate or its active metabolite dihydroartemisinin being excreted in the milk of lactating mothers? Am J Trop Med Hyg. 2006;75(5) Suppl:158. Meeting Abstract: 543.
  7. WHO / UNICEF. BREASTFEEDING AND MATERNAL MEDICATION Recommendations for Drugs in the Eleventh WHO Model List of Essential Drugs. Department of Child and Adolescent Health and Development (WHO/UNICEF) 2002 Abstract Full text (link to original source) Full text (in our servers)

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