Does the Use of Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine in Treating Patients with Uncomplicated falciparum Malaria Reduce the Risk for Recurrent New falciparum Infection More Than Artemether-Lumefantrine?

Table 1

Plasma half-lives (𝑇_1/2) of drugs used in some common ACTs.

Antimalarial drug	𝑇^11/2 of artemisinin derivative	𝑇1/2 of partner drug
Artemether-Lumefantrine (AL)	~3 hrs	4-5 days
Artesunate-Amodiaquine (AMQ)	<1 hr	9–18 days
Dihydroartemisinin-Piperaquine (DP)	45 min	~5 weeks; Source: [14]

¹𝑇_1/2 (half-life): it is the length of time required for half of the concentration of the ACT drugs in the body of a patient to be eliminated.