An antimalarial is a medicine or other therapeutic agent used to prevent or treat malaria.
Antimalarial medicines work against malaria parasites at different stages of their life cycle. Different medicines are selected according to factors such as the Plasmodium species involved, disease severity, geographic location, parasite resistance patterns, and whether the medicine is being used for prevention or treatment.
Examples include artemisinin derivatives, chloroquine, mefloquine, primaquine, and several combination therapies, although their appropriate uses differ.
QUICK FACT
“Antimalarial” describes a category of medicines, not one specific drug.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
Antibiotic — Antibiotics are medicines primarily used against bacteria, while antimalarials target malaria parasites.
SEE ALSO
