Last update:
06-Jul-2004

In a recent World Health Organization report, malaria ranks fifth in terms of numbers of deaths due to infectious diseases, with almost one million deaths annually, mainly in Africa. Following a brief overview of the biology and epidemiology of malaria, three main groups of antimalarial drugs in current use are reviewed: quinoline antimalarials, folate synthesis inhibitors and artemisinin derivatives. Based on recent bibliography on antimalarial chemotherapy, an analysis is made of current opinions on mechanisms of action and of P. falciparum resistance to these drug groups. Reference is made to the methods used to assess Plasmodium drug resistance and to the antimalarial drugs which are currently used or which may be available in the future.

Key words: Antimalarial drugs, Malaria, Resistance.