There are many different drugs used to treat and prevent malaria. New drugs are being discovered much more rapidly for malaria than for other parasitic diseases. Here is a partial list of some of the drugs that have been traditionally used:
- chloroquine
- atovaquone-proguanil
- artemisinin
- artemether-lumefantrine
- mefloquine
- quinine
- quinidine
- doxycycline (used in combination with quinine)
- clindamycin (used in combination with quinine)
- artesunate (not licensed for use in the United States)
Treatment of uncomplicated non-falciparum malaria consists of treating the erythrocytic forms and determining if the species is from a chloroquine sensitive or chloroquine resistant area. Chloroquine-sensitive non-falciparum malaria is treated with chloroquine or artemisinin combination therapy (ACT). Chloroquine-resistant non-falciparum malaria is treated with ACT.
Treatment of uncomplicated malaria caused by P. falciparum is ACT.