Evaluation of Clindamycin in Combination with Quinine against Multidrug-Resistant Strains of Plasmodium Falciparum

The efficacy of clindamycin, a slow acting antimalarial, in combination with a rapid acting schizonticidal drug, quinine, was determined against three multidrug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum (Cambodian I, Burma [Thau] and Panama II). No recrudescences occurred after treatment with quinine 650 mg orally every 8 hours for 3 days and clindamycin 450 mg orally every 6 hours for 3 days, when administered either simultaneously or sequentially. Quinine alone for 3 days was not curative against infections with these strains. During a 3-day course of therapy, blood levels of quinine or clindamycin were not influenced by administration of the other drug.