Aralen and its Uses
Generic Aralen is used to treat and prevent attacks of malaria, a red blood cell infection transmitted by the bite of a mosquito. Generic Aralen works by killing malaria parasites, most likely by damaging their DNA (genetic material).
Generic Aralen is also used to treat another condition caused by parasites known as extraintestinal amebiasis.
Generic Aralen is also used to treat some conditions such as liver disease caused by protozoa (tiny one-celled animals).
|| Top || Working Mechanism of Aralen
Malaria is a potentially fatal disease caused by various types of parasites known as Plasmodium. Plasmodium are carried by mosquitoes and injected into the bloodstream during a bite from an infected mosquito. Once inside the blood the parasites travel to the liver, where they multiply. The parasites are then released back into the bloodstream where they invade the red blood cells and multiply again. An actual attack of malaria develops when the red blood cells burst, releasing a mass of parasites into the bloodstream. The attacks do not begin until a sufficient number of blood cells have been infected with parasites.
Generic Aralen works by attacking the parasites once they have entered the red blood cells. Aralen kills the parasites and prevents them from multiplying further.
It is not fully understood how Aralen kills the parasites, but it is thought to work by blocking the action of a chemical that the parasites produce to protect themselves once inside the red blood cells. The parasites inside the red blood cells digest the oxygen carrying pigment haemoglobin that is found in these cells. This divides the haemoglobin into two parts; haem and globin, and the haem part is toxic to the malaria parasite. To prevent itself from being damaged by haem, the malaria parasites produce a chemical that converts haem into a compound that is not toxic to them. Generic Aralen blocks the action of this chemical. This causes the levels of the toxic haem to rise, thus killing the malaria parasites.
Generic Aralen is usually taken in combination with another antimalarial medicine called proguanil to prevent malaria.
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Aralen Dose
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and only take the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double dose of Aralen.
Excess Dose of Aralen
Generic Aralen in excess dose may show symptoms such as headache, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, visual changes, seizures, difficulty breathing, and unconsciousness.
Conditions for Storage of Aralen
Store Aralen at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
Potencies of Aralen
Aralen Tablets:Aralen 250 mg & Aralen 500 mg.
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Food and Drug Interactions with Aralen
- Aralen may increase the blood level of ciclosporin, resulting in an increased risk of adverse effects.
- Aralen may reduce the effectiveness of rabies vaccine.
- There may be a risk of abnormal heart rhythms if Aralen is taken with any of the following medicines:
- medicines for abnormal heart rhythms, e.g. amiodarone, quinidine
- the antihistamines terfenadine and astemizole
- halofantrine
- antipsychotics, e.g. thioridazine
- There may be a risk of convulsions if Aralen is taken with mefloquine.
- Cimetidine may prevent the breakdown of Aralen by the liver and lead to increased levels of Aralen in the blood.
- Antacids used for indigestion, e.g. magnesium trisilicate, kaolin, reduce the absorption of Aralen from the gut, which may mean the full dose is not absorbed. To avoid this, the dose of chloroquine should not be taken within two to three hours of taking an antacid or kaolin
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Contraindications with Aralen
Generic Aralen is contraindicated in allergy to one or any of its ingredients and pregnancy & breastfeeding.
|| Top || Precautions with Aralen
Generic Aralen should be used with caution in:
- Abnormal muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis)
- History of epilepsy
- Kidney disease
- Lack of the enzyme G6PD in the blood (G6PD deficiency)
- Life long inherited blood diseases which can cause a variety of symptoms, including mental health problems (porphyrias)
- Liver disease
- Psoriasis
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Adverse effects with Aralen
The adverse effects associated with Aralen are:
- Itching (pruritus)
- Blood disorders
- Fits (convulsions)
- Visual disturbances
- Hair loss (alopecia)
- Loss of natural color of hair
- Hearing disturbances
- Mood changes, strange or abnormal thoughts or depression
- Liver disorders
- Headache
- Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhea, constipation, nausea, vomiting or abdominal pain
- Skin rashes
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