Combination Momordica Charantia Extract and Primaquine Againts Plasmodium Falciparum Uncomplicated and Plasmodium Vivax Uncomplicated Treatment in Manokwari, West Papua

Overview

Comparing the efficacy of the combination treatment of bitter melon fruit extract (Momordica charantia) with primaquine (MC+PQ) against the combination of dihydroartemisinin + piperaquine + primaquine (DHP+PQ) on patients with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax without complications in Manokwari, West Papua, Indonesia. The research was conducted from January 2019 to April 2019 at Manokwari Regional General Hospital, West Papua. Open label, 2 parallel randomized clinical studies with Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients without complications (Study 1) and patients with Plasmodium vivax malaria without complications (Study 2). The randomized clinical trial divided in 2 treatment groups, namely the MC+PQ and DHP+PQ. The Success of the treatment was determined by the combination of blood schizontocidal therapy in radical cure. The overall final assessed results were the average value of parasitological failure, hematological measurements, liver function, kidney function, blood lipid levels, blood glucose levels and adverse events until day 42.

Every group therapy session was under team member supervision, required to complete follow-up visits on days 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, and 42. All of the studies 1 and 2 was split into more than two treatment groups, MC+PQ and DHP+PQ. The study was broken up into several 2 studies. Plasmodium falciparum patients without complications (n = 50 in each study) were the subjects of study 1, and Plasmodium vivax patients without complications (n = 50) were the subjects of studies 2 and 3. The combination of 500 mg of bitter melon fruit extract (Momordica charantia) and 325 mg of bitter melon fruit content (13.50 mg/kg body weight) was initially approved by the MC+PQ group and administered for 3 days. 15 mg Primaquine dose single (0.25 mg/kg body weight) was administered for patients with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax malaria. Patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria was treated for the first 14 days, while those with Plasmodium vivax malaria were treated for 14 days. The 2nd DHP+PQ group received three days of DHP (fixed dose combination tablets of 40 mg dihydroartemisinin and 320 mg piperaquine; DHP-FRIMAL, Mersi pharmaceutical, Tbk) in addition to 15 mg primaquine that had previously been given for one day to patients with Plasmodium falciparum who had no complications and for 14 days to those with Plasmodium vivax. DHP renewal is determined by body weight (age 15 years, \>40-60 kg: 3 tablets; \>60-80 kg: 4 tablets; 80 kg: 5 tablets)