Lumefantrine Co-Artemether is a tablet formulation of artemether and lumefantrine, a well-tolerated, fast-acting and effective blood schizontocidal drug that serves primarily in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria that is resistant to other antimalarials. Artemether, an artemisinin derivative, has several proposed mechanisms of action, including interference with plasmodial transport proteins, interference with mitochondrial electron transport, and the production of free radicals to reduce blood antioxidants and glutathione. While artemether results in rapid defervescence, parasite clearance, and clinical improvement, it also has a relatively high recrudescence rate when used as monotherapy. The exact mechanism of action of lumefantrine is not well defined, but it is thought to inhibit -hematin formation, an important detoxification pathway for the parasite. Unlike artemether, lumefantrine has a slower onset of action, resulting in clearance of residual parasites and a decrease in recrudescence rate. The combination is an effective and well-tolerated malaria treatment, providing high cure rates even in areas of multi-drug resistance.

Artemether is an antimalarial agent used to treat acute uncomplicated malaria. It is administered in combination with lumefantrine for improved efficacy against malaria. Artemether is rapidly metabolized into an active metabolite dihydroartemisinin (DHA). The antimalarial activity of artemether and DHA has been attributed to endoperoxide moiety. Artemethe involves an interaction with ferriprotoporphyrin IX (“heme”), or ferrous ions, in the acidic parasite food vacuole, which results in the generation of cytotoxic radical species. The generally accepted mechanism of action of peroxide antimalarials involves interaction of the peroxide-containing drug with heme, a hemoglobin degradation byproduct, derived from proteolysis of hemoglobin. This interaction is believed to result in the formation of a range of potentially toxic oxygen and carbon-centered radicals. Other mechanisms of action for artemether include their ability to reduce fever by production of signals to hypothalamus thermoregulatory center. Now, recent research has shown the presence of a new, previously unknown cyclooxygenase enzyme COX-3, found in the brain and spinal cord, which is selectively inhibited by artemether, and is distinct from the two already known cyclooxygenase enzymes COX-1 and COX-2. It is now believed that this selective inhibition of the enzyme COX-3 in the brain and spinal cord explains the ability of artemether in relieving pain and reducing fever which is produced by malaria. The most common adverse reactions in adults (>30%) are headache, anorexia, dizziness, asthenia, arthralgia and myalgia.