Clartem is a fixed-dose Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) antimalarial that contains two synergistic active pharmaceutical ingredients: artemether and lumefantrine.
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Artemether: A fast-acting semi-synthetic endoperoxide derivative of artemisinin. Upon interaction with intra-parasitic heme iron, it undergoes endoperoxide cleavage, generating short-lived free radicals that damage essential parasitic proteins and lipids. This results in rapid clearance of blood-stage schizonts and fast symptom relief within hours.
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Lumefantrine: A long-acting lipophilic aryl-amino alcohol derivative. It acts by inhibiting the polymerization of toxic free heme into non-toxic hemozoin within the parasite’s food vacuole. The resulting accumulation of toxic heme causes membrane destruction, clearing residual parasites and preventing disease recrudescence.
This dual-action mechanism provides rapid clinical recovery while protecting both active compounds against the emergence of antimalarial drug resistance.
Primary Medical Indications
Clartem is indicated for adult, pediatric, and infant populations in the treatment of acute parasitic infections:
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Uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum Malaria: First-line curative treatment for acute, uncomplicated malaria caused by P. falciparum or mixed species infections containing P. falciparum.
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Multi-Drug Resistant Malaria: Highly effective against P. falciparum strains showing resistance to older antimalarial monotherapies such as chloroquine, sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (Fansidar), or quinine.
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Treatment of Non-falciparum Blood-Stage Parasites: Effective against erythrocytic schizonts of Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale, and Plasmodium malariae (radical cure for liver hypnozoites in P. vivax and P. ovale requires adjunct therapy with primaquine or tafenoquine).
Key Product Specifications & Dosing Forms
| Feature | Specification |
| Active Ingredients | Artemether + Lumefantrine |
| Pharmacological Class | Artemisinin-based Combination Therapy (ACT) Antimalarial |
| Available Formulations | Film-coated tablets, dry powder for oral suspension |
| Common Strengths | 20 mg / 120 mg standard tablets; 80 mg / 480 mg (Forte); 15 mg / 90 mg per 5 mL suspension |
| Standard Regimen |
6-dose regimen over 3 days (68 hours total): • Dose 1: At time of diagnosis • Dose 2: 8 hours after Dose 1 • Doses 3–6: Given twice daily (morning & evening) for the next 2 days |
| Administration | Must be consumed with high-fat food or milk (e.g., full-cream milk, oil, or a fatty meal) because lumefantrine absorption increases up to 16-fold in the presence of dietary lipids |
Critical Safety Guidelines & Precautions
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Must Be Taken with Fatty Food or Milk: Lumefantrine is highly lipophilic and relies heavily on dietary fat for gastrointestinal absorption. Taking Clartem on an empty stomach drastically lowers drug exposure, risking therapeutic failure and disease relapse.
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Re-Dosing Protocol for Vomiting: If vomiting occurs within 1 hour of administration, a full replacement dose must be taken immediately. If persistent vomiting prevents oral retention, transition the patient to parenteral therapy (e.g., IV or IM artesunate).
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QTc Prolongation Warning: Lumefantrine has the potential to prolong the QTc interval on an ECG. Avoid concurrent use with other QT-prolonging drugs (e.g., macrolide antibiotics, antiarrhythmics, quinine, halofantrine) or in patients with congenital long QT syndrome.
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Not for Severe/Complicated Malaria: Contraindicated as monotherapy for severe or complicated malaria (e.g., cerebral malaria, severe malarial anemia, pulmonary edema). Severe cases require immediate intravenous antimalarial intervention.
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Prophylaxis Restriction: Clartem is strictly a therapeutic curative agent and must never be used for malaria prophylaxis.
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