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Updated: Jun 3, 2026
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Optimized Griess Reaction for UV-Vis and Naked-eye Determination of Anti-malarial Primaquine
Published on: October 11, 2019
Artesunate versus quinine for treating severe malaria
David Sinclair1, Sarah Donegan, David G Lalloo
1International Health Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool, UK, L3 5QA.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|March 18, 2011
Summary
Artesunate significantly reduces deaths from severe malaria in children and adults compared to quinine. While some transient neurological issues were noted in children, artesunate remains the superior treatment option.
Area of Science:
- Malariology
- Infectious Diseases
- Clinical Trials
Background:
- Severe malaria causes over a million deaths annually, primarily in young children in sub-Saharan Africa.
- This review evaluates artesunate as an alternative to standard quinine treatment for severe malaria.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy and safety of artesunate versus quinine in treating severe malaria.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing parenteral artesunate with quinine.
- Searched multiple databases including Cochrane, MEDLINE, and EMBASE up to November 2010.
- Primary outcome was all-cause mortality; data analyzed using risk ratios and mean differences.
Main Results:
- Eight trials involving 1664 adults and 5765 children were included.
- Artesunate significantly reduced mortality in both adults (RR 0.61) and children (RR 0.76).
- Increased incidence of transient neurological sequelae in children treated with artesunate, with no significant difference at later follow-up.
Conclusions:
- Parenteral artesunate demonstrates clear superiority over quinine for severe malaria treatment in all age groups and regions.
- Artesunate is the preferred treatment for severe malaria, offering better survival outcomes.
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