Choice of malaria medicine, from medical to herbal ingredients

Mosquito bites not only leave bump marks, but also carry the risk of carrying infectious diseases. One of them is malaria, a deadly disease that can cause complications in the body's organs. In order not to get worse, malaria must be treated with the right medicines. Check out this article to find out what medical and natural medicines are commonly used for malaria.

Medicine for malaria

Malaria is a parasitic infectious disease Plasmodium which is transmitted through mosquito bites Anopheles female . There are four types of malaria parasites that can infect humans, namely P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. falciparum .

Symptoms of malaria usually appear 10 days to 4 weeks after the body is first infected with the parasite. In fact, symptoms can only appear a few months later. This makes malaria difficult to diagnose and treat only after the disease starts to get worse.

Without proper treatment, this disease caused by mosquito bites has the risk of causing fatal complications, such as organ failure, fluid buildup in the lungs, and parasitic infections spreading to the brain.

Therefore, the management of this disease must be done in a hospital with trusted medical personnel. The goal of malaria treatment itself is to eradicate parasites Plasmodium that is in the body to prevent this disease from developing into a lethal condition.

Well, there are various types of medical drugs commonly used for malaria. In order to determine which drug to use, the doctor will consider based on the following points:

• What kind of malaria does it suffer
• The severity of the symptoms
• Patient age
• Whether the patient is pregnant or not

In other words, it is not certain that all malaria cases are handled with the same type of drug. Remember, only a doctor can determine which malaria medication should be given to a patient.

The following types of drugs are commonly prescribed for malaria patients:

1. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT)

Artemisinin-based combination therapies or ACT is usually the first type of drug given to treat malaria. ACT consists of a combination of 2 or more drugs, each of which works against parasites Plasmodium in different ways.

ACT medicine is usually specifically for malaria caused by parasites P. falciparum . The way this drug works is by killing the parasites in the blood, and preventing the parasite from multiplying.

Here are the 5 types of ACT combinations that are most often recommended according to WHO guidelines:

• artemether + lumefantrine
• artesunate + amodiaquine
• artesunate + mefloquine
• artesunate + SP
• dihydroartemisinin + piperaquine

ACT drugs are usually given for 3 days in adult and pediatric malaria patients. However, the use of ACT drugs for pregnant women in the first trimester is not allowed.

ACT is given by mouth, aka orally. However, for more severe cases of malaria, ACT will be given by injection for the first 24 hours, after which it is replaced with oral medication. The dosage of drugs also usually varies, depending on the patient's body weight and health condition.

2. Chloroquine

Chloroquine or chloroquine phosphate is another drug option to treat malaria.

Apart from treating malaria, chloroquine can also be given as malaria prevention, especially for people who are going to countries or areas with high malaria cases.

The dose of chloroquine for the treatment of malaria is usually 1 time, then 6-8 hours later the patient is given half the dose. After that, the patient was again given half a dose a day for the next 2 days.

Just like various other types of drugs, chloroquine can also trigger several side effects, such as:

• headache
• nausea
• loss of appetite
• diarrhea
• stomach ache
• skin rash and hives
• hair loss

Unfortunately, the malaria parasite in several countries is already resistant or immune to this drug. Therefore, chloroquine is actually not considered effective enough to treat this disease.

3. Primakuine

Medicines with generic names primaquine phosphate it can also be used to treat malaria. Similar to chloroquine, primaquine can also be given as a malaria prevention drug.

To treat malaria, primaquine is given by mouth or orally. Usually, this medicine is given once a day for 14 days. This medicine must be taken after meals.

Side effects that are quite frequently reported after taking primaquine are stomach upset and nausea. Therefore, doctors strongly recommend that you take this medicine when your stomach is filled.

In addition to treating and preventing, primaquine is also able to prevent recurrence of the disease in people who have been exposed to malaria before.

This drug is classified as quite strong and patients with certain health conditions should not take it, such as pregnant women and people with G6PD deficiency. Therefore, the doctor must perform a blood test before giving this drug to a patient.

4. Mefloquine

Mefloquine or mefloquine hydrochloride is a tablet drug that is also prescribed for malaria. You can also use mefloquine to prevent malaria, but of course you have to prescribe it.

Like other antimalarial drugs, mefloquine works by killing parasites Plasmodium that is in the body. In certain cases of malaria, such as due to malaria P. falciparum , mefloquine can be combined with artesunate in ACT treatment.

This drug is safe for consumption by adults, children, and pregnant and lactating women. However, mefloquine is not recommended for patients with mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorders, or schizophrenia. People with heart problems should also not use this drug because of the risk of worsening heart conditions.

5. Doxycycline

Doxycycline is an antibiotic class drug that can not only kill bacterial infections, but also treat parasitic infections such as malaria.

In addition to treating, doxycycline can be given to prevent recurrence of malaria in patients who have been infected with parasites Plasmodium previous. Doxycycline can also be prescribed for infections caused by tick bites, such as Lyme disease.

Doxycycline is available in the form of capsules, tablets, and liquid suspension. A common side effect after taking this medicine is that the skin is more sensitive to the sun. So, make sure you wear sunscreen or sunblock while taking this drug.

When taking doxycycline, make sure you don't consume any dairy products. The reason is, the content in milk can interfere with the absorption of doxycycline in the body so that the drug cannot work optimally.

6. Quinine

You are certainly familiar with quinine medicine for the treatment of malaria. Quinine is a tablet drug that can be used alone or in combination with other anti-malarial drugs, such as ACT, primaquine, or doxycycline.

The dose of quinine for malaria medicine is usually 3 times a day for 3-7 days. However, once again, the dosage of the drug may be different for each patient, depending on his health condition. Even so, currently quinine is rarely used in Indonesia because it is not as effective as other antimalarial drug choices.

All the malaria medicines above cannot be obtained at pharmacies freely. You must use a doctor's prescription and must finish all the prescribed drugs until they run out. If not, the parasite infection will not be completely cured, and there is a possibility that the parasites will become resistant to antimalarial drugs.

Herbal medicines for malaria

Apart from medical drugs or pharmacy medicines, malaria can also be treated with natural remedies. You can use traditional ingredients or herbal plants to reduce the symptoms of malaria.

However, keep in mind that natural medicines are only used as a companion treatment, not the main treatment. So, you still have to see a doctor and get medical treatment if the symptoms of malaria start to appear.

The following are herbal medicines that are recommended to treat malaria:

1. Turmeric

The first option you can try is turmeric. This kitchen spice turns out to have various health benefits, including helping to fight parasitic infections Plasmodium the cause of malaria.

This is evidenced in a study from the journal Systematic Reviews in Pharmacy 2020. In the study, the curcumin content in turmeric is believed to be able to eradicate various types of parasites Plasmodium , and increase the body's immune system to fight infections in the body.

2. Cinnamon

Apart from turmeric, other herbal ingredients that you can also use as a natural malaria medicine, namely cinnamon. Yes, this versatile spice with a distinctive taste is also believed to be effective in overcoming the symptoms of malaria.

Cinnamon contains antiparasitic substances that can inhibit parasite reproduction Plasmodium falciparum . Plus, cinnamon has antioxidant properties that play an important role in preventing damage to cells in the body.

Therefore, cinnamon is recommended for those of you who are suffering from any infectious disease, including malaria.

3. Papaya

The fruit with a distinctive orange color is also believed to be effective in overcoming the symptoms of malaria naturally. The efficacy of papaya fruit against malaria has been tested in a study from Journal of Tropical Medicine .

In that study, papaya was combined with African leaf plants (Vernonia amygdalina) to see the effect on mice infected with parasites Plasmodium .

As a result, papaya extract can reduce the number of parasites in the body and prevent damage to the liver. One of the complications that are quite often found in malaria patients is liver failure.

That was a list of medical and natural medicines that you can use to treat malaria. Remember, although herbal remedies can help you reduce symptoms, these natural ingredients still cannot replace medical drugs because their effectiveness still needs further investigation. It's okay to use natural ingredients, as long as you consistently follow the doctor's treatment so that the results are maximized.