Abstract
Lamivudine-Artesunate co-administration is common in HIV-malaria settings, as well as in prophylaxis from occupational HIV exposure and presumptive malaria treatment. Pain is a symptom often associated with malaria and HIV which is usually treated with piroxicam due to availability, affordability, and low addiction potential. This study evaluated possible analgesic effects of lamivudine and artesunate, and also the effect of lamivudine-artesunate co-administration on piroxicam mediated analgesia in mice using acetic acid-induced writhing method. Animals received 21 day intraperitoneal treatments with vehicle, lamivudine, artesunate or lamivudine/artesunate co-administration. The result showed that artesunate possessed analgesic properties, and also showed that piroxicam mediated analgesia was significantly reduced (p 0.05) in the presence of concomitant lamivudine-artesunate treatment. This data suggests the need for caution and possible alternate analgesics while on lamivudine-artesunate therapy in order to effectively alleviate pain, when this is desired in lamivudine-artesunate co administration.
Highlights
Malaria has remained a serious public health concern in several countries of the world[1], and is one of the oldest and most prevalent infectious diseases[2]
On day 15, which was the first day of co administration of lamivudine and artesunate, all animals were challenged with acetic acid as previously described
Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs such as piroxicam act by inhibiting cyclooxygenase which acts on arachidonic acid to produce various prostaglandins and some other pain mediators[14]
Summary
Malaria has remained a serious public health concern in several countries of the world[1], and is one of the oldest and most prevalent infectious diseases[2]. The control/elimination of malaria has remained a problem due to falciparum resistance to drugs that have been previously used for over fifty years, and this has led to the introduction and advocacy of Artemisinin Combination Therapy (ACT) by the World Health Organization[3]. Artesunate is the most important of the derivates of artemisnin in use[4], and is used in a large number of ACTs. While malaria continues to ravage much of tropical Africa, the problem of HIV is another major medical challenge with over 70% of global HIV population
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