Piperaquine

Pharmaceutical Applications

A bisquinoline used to treat malaria in China since 1978. It is structurally related to chloroquine, but active against chloroquine- resistant P. falciparum. A combination with dihdyroartemisinin has shown excellent tolerability and high cure rates for multidrug-resistant falciparum malaria.
It is highly lipid-soluble and orally well absorbed. The elimination half-life is 20–30 days and there is extensive metabolism. Adverse effects are similar to chloroquine, but pruritus is uncommon.