Pyronaridine is an
antimalarial drug. It was first made in 1970 and has been in clinical use in China since the 1980s.
In a small (n=88) malaria study in Camaroon, pyronaridine had a 100% cure rate, compared with 60% for
chloroquine
Chloroquine is an antiparasitic medication that treats malaria. It works by increasing the levels of heme in the blood, a substance toxic to the malarial parasite. This kills the parasite and stops the infection from spreading. Certain types ...
.
It is one of the components of the
artemisinin combination therapy pyronaridine/artesunate (Pyramax).
It has also been studied as a potential anticancer drug, and treatment for Ebola. The combination of pyronaridine and artesunate has been evaluated to have a synergistic effect of stronger antiviral effect and less toxicity. The combination of pyronaridine and artesunate is being studied as a possible treatment for moderate to severe SARS-COV-2.
References
Antimalarial agents
Chinese discoveries
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