Lariam: profile and news

NOTHING BUT SKY by E. BANKART ABELL JR Feb 21, 2006
We felt fairly indestructible. The oral Lariam program we ingested for Malaria prevention, however, gave us nightmares and occasional anxiety attacks. ... - Everest News,

Have a healthy holiday Feb 19, 2006
...to be taken into account. тАЬIf you want to go scuba diving, you shouldnтАЩt be taking Lariam,тА? adds Jackie. Also bear in mind ... - iAfrica.com,

Rx problems: Malaria meds left in bottles Jan 25, 2006
...visiting. Connolly said there are four medicines NU prescribes to prevent malaria: Malarone, Doxycycline, Lariam and Chloroquine. ... - Daily Northwestern,

Some dangerous drugs get by FDA Jan 29, 2006
...when taken alone), isotretinoin (Accutane), malathion (Ovide), medroxyprogesterone injections (Depo Provera), mefloquine (Lariam), rosuvastatin (Crestor ... - Sarasota Herald-Tribune,

I'm going to a malarial zone but I'm allergic to insect repellents Jan 26, 2006
Lariam is effective but not recommended for anyone with any history of psychiatric troubles, including depression, severe reactions to so-called recreational ... - Times Online,

Malaria, UK Agency Warns Winter Sun Seekers 12 Dec 2005
The current recommended preventive treatments for travellers to The Gambia are atovaquone/proguanil (Malarone), doxycycline or mefloquine (Lariam). ... - Medical News Today (press release),

HealthWrap: 'Serious risks' in 12 Rx's Dec 8, 2005
Volunteer slams Peace Corps over drug (July 12, 2005) -- A former Peace Corps volunteer said the controversial anti-malaria drug Lariam triggered such severe ... - Science Daily (press release)

HealthWrap: 'Serious risks' in 12 Rx's Dec 8, 2005
One of the 12 drugs cited is Lariam, an anti-malaria medication that has been linked to reports of suicide, depression and hallucinations. ... - United Press International

Thalidomide funds gets more funding Dec 9, 2005
Report: Lariam affects Aussie troops (September 29, 2005) -- In a virtual replay of a controversy in the United States, Australian soldiers claim they suffered ... - Science Daily (press release)

Consumer Reports Medical Guide & Consumer Reports: Prescription ... Dec 5, 2005
Accutane) for severe acne; Malathion (Ovide) for head lice; Medroxyprogesterone injections (Depo-Provera), a contraceptive; Mefloquine (Lariam) to prevent ... - U.S. Newswire (press release),

Safety Of Some Prescription Drugs Questioned Dec 5, 2005
...a pain reliever, Crestor, for cholesterol, the contraceptive Depo Provera, Elidel and Protopic, for eczema, Isotretinoin for severe acne, Lariam, to prevent ... - KIROtv.com,

Report: Lariam affects Aussie troops Sep 29, 2005
...dissatisfied with the government. The Australian ... > full story. The drug, mefloquine, goes by the brand name Lariam. It was prescribed to ... - Science Daily (press release)

Report: Lariam affects Aussie troops Sep 29, 2005
The drug, mefloquine, goes by the brand name Lariam. It was prescribed to hundreds of Australian soldiers in East Timor to fight a deadly strain of malaria. ... - Monsters and Critics.com,

Australian troops claim drug side effects Sep 29, 2005
The drug is mefloquine, known under the brand name Lariam. ... It ordered that everyone prescribed Lariam be told in writing about those possibilities. ... - United Press International

Special Forces suicides raise questions Oct 11, 2005
...dollars," he said. Laura Howell said she blamed Lariam, an Army-issued anti-malaria drug, for her husband's suicide. The drug's ... - San Jose Mercury News,

Health Wrap: Suicide and side effects Sep 30, 2005
Just this week United Press International reported about an anti-malaria drug, Lariam, that a number of Australian soldiers claim made them psychotic and ... - Science Daily (press release)

Special Forces suicides raise questions 11 Oct 2005
...dollars," he said. Laura Howell said she blamed Lariam, an Army-issued anti-malaria drug, for her husband's suicide. The drug's ... - San Jose Mercury News,

Keep tropical bugs at bay Sep 23, 2005
Although many travellers are concerned about the side-effects of Lariam, a component of this medication, there is little evidence that children encounter ... - Times Online,

Volunteer slams Peace Corps over drug Jul 12, 2005
WASHINGTON -- A former Peace Corps volunteer said the controversial anti-malaria drug Lariam triggered such severe mental illness she had to leave her post ... - World Peace Herald <**results**>

UPI honored for GI malaria-drug reporting Jun 13, 2005
The judges cited their ongoing articles on the impact of the drug, called Lariam, on the mental health of soldiers serving in Iraq. ... - Washington Times,

Analysis: Iraq casualties and causality May 31, 2005
That is the period when Lariam -- which has been associated with reports of suicide, aggression and psychosis -- was being prescribed to thousands of soldiers ... - Washington Times,

Which GP would you rather see? Jun 10, 2005
..."I went to a male GP before I went on holiday, and said that I wanted an anti-malarial, but didn't want Lariam," says a young colleague. ... - Telegraph.co.uk,

The War Comes Home Jun 8, 2005
For a while, the anti-malaria drug Lariam was seen as the culprit. (Lariam invariably comes up in cases like these, and the Army ... - Guerrilla News Network

Fluoride and Aggression Mar 29, 2005
Similarly, there have been reports from US troops that bizarre, psychotic, aggressive behavior has been observed in individuals after taking Lariam, which is a ... - PHXNews

Ethiopia Consular Information Sheet -Travel Warnings Apr 7, 2005
...for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that travelers should take one of the following antimalarial drugs: mefloquine (Lariam(tm)), doxycycline, or ... - Community Dispatch

Concern grows over drug given to troops with mental side effects Feb 12, 2005
Pogany is among the current or former troops sent to Iraq who claim that Lariam, the commercial name for the anti-malarial drug mefloquine, provoked disturbing ... - San Jose Mercury News (subscription)

Worry Spreads Over GI Drug Side Effects Feb 13, 2005
SAN DIEGO - Some current or former troops sent to Iraq claim that Lariam, the commercial name for the anti-malarial drug mefloquine, has provoked disturbing ... - Miami Herald (subscription),

At Fort Bragg, another violent suicide Feb 11, 2005
Meanwhile, the Pentagon said a study that was begun a year ago to see whether the drug, called Lariam, had led to suicides or other problems is still in the ... - Washington Times,

Worry Spreads Over GI Drug Side Effects Feb 12, 2005
Lariam is among the drugs recommended by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for treatment and prevention of malaria, which kills about 1 million ... - WJLA,

A Weekly Shot of News and Notes Mar 1, 2005
BUGGED BY LARIAM A study in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry shows that people on the anti-malaria drug mefloquine (Lariam) seem prone to psychiatric events. ... - Washington Post

Malaria Drug Prompts Concern Among Some US Troops in Iraq Feb 13, 2005
US military officials have stopped giving an anti-malaria drug called Lariam (mefloquine) to troops in Iraq following claims by some current and former ... - HealthCentral.com

Worry Spreads Over GI Drug Side Effects Feb 12, 2005
SAN DIEGO Feb 12, 2005 тАФ Some current or former troops sent to Iraq claim that Lariam, the commercial name for the anti-malarial drug mefloquine, has ... - ABC News

New suicide raises concerns at Bragg Feb 11, 2005
...in Afghanistan from September 2002 to March 2003 with the Seventh Special Forces Group in an area where soldiers were routinely prescribed Lariam, said Major ... - MENAFN,

Other information

Indication
For the treatment of mild to moderate acute malaria caused by Mefloquineuine-susceptible Plasmodium falciparum strains

Pharmacology
Mefloquine is an antimalarial agent which acts as a blood schizonticide. Mefloquine is active against the erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium species. However, the drug has no effect against the exoerythrocytic (hepatic) stages of the parasite. Mefloquine is effective against malaria parasites resistant to chloroquine.

Mechanism Of Action
Mefloquine interferes with transportation of haemoglobin products and other substances from the host cell to the parasiteтАЩs food vacuole. Mefloquine specifically has been found to produce swelling of the P. falciparum food vacuoles. It may therefore act by forming toxic complexes with free heme that damage membranes and interact with other plasmodial components.

Drug Category
Antimalarials; ATC:P01BC02

Brand Names/Synonyms
CHEMBANK1387; Lariam; Mefloquine; Mefloquine Hcl; Mefloquinone

Dosage Forms
TABLET

Absorption
Well absorbed from gastrointestinal tract. Bioavailability is about 85%

Interactions
Interactions for Mefloquine: Drug-drug interactions with Mefloquine have not been explored in detail. There is one report of cardiopulmonary arrest, with full recovery, in a patient who was taking a beta blocker (propranolol). The effects of Mefloquineuine on the compromised cardiovascular system have not been evaluated. The benefits of Mefloquine therapy should be weighed against the possibility of adverse effects in patients with cardiac disease. Because of the danger of a potentially fatal prolongation of the QTc interval, halofantrine must not be given simultaneously with or subsequent to Mefloquine. Concomitant administration of Mefloquine and other related compounds (eg, quinine, quinidine and chloroquine) may produce electrocardiographic abnormalities and increase the risk of convulsions. If these drugs are to be used in the initial treatment of severe malaria, Mefloquine administration should be delayed at least 12 hours after the last dose. There is evidence that the use of halofantrine after Mefloquineuine causes a significant lengthening of the QTc interval. Clinically significant QTc prolongation has not been found with Mefloquineuine alone. This appears to be the only clinically relevant interaction of this kind with Mefloquine, although theoretically, coadministration of other drugs known to alter cardiac conduction (eg, anti-arrhythmic or beta-adrenergic blocking agents, calcium channel blockers, antihistamines or H1-blocking agents, tricyclic antidepressants and phenothiazines) might also contribute to a prolongation of the QTc interval. There are no data that conclusively establish whether the concomitant administration of Mefloquineuine and the above listed agents has an effect on cardiac function. In patients taking an anticonvulsant (eg, valproic acid, carbamazepine, phenobarbital or phenytoin), the concomitant use of Mefloquine may reduce seizure control by lowering the plasma levels of the anticonvulsant. Therefore, patients concurrently taking antiseizure medication and Mefloquine should have the blood level of their antiseizure medication monitored and the dosage adjusted appropriately. When Mefloquine is taken concurrently with oral live typhoid vaccines, attenuation of immunization cannot be excluded. Vaccinations with attenuated live bacteria should therefore be completed at least 3 days before the first dose of Mefloquine. No other drug interactions are known. Nevertheless, the effects of Mefloquine on travelers receiving comedication, particularly diabetics or patients using anticoagulants, should be checked before departure. In clinical trials, the concomitant administration of sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine did not alter the adverse reaction profile.

Chemical IUPAC Name
[2,8-bis(trifluoromethyl)quinolin-4-yl]-(2-piperidyl)methanol

Chemical Formula
C17H16F6N2O

Half Life
2 and 4 weeks

Drug Type
Approved Drug

# Accession No
APRD00300

CAS Registry Number
53230-10-7