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Table 3 Neurologic toxicities of 8AQs in humans

From: Tafenoquine and primaquine do not exhibit clinical neurologic signs associated with central nervous system lesions in the same manner as earlier 8-aminoquinolines

8AQd

Minimum dose known to be required to induce clinical signs of neurotoxicity in humansa

Clinical neurologic signs at minimum neurotoxic dose

Onset of neurologic symptoms (days)

Dose-limiting toxicity

Therapeutic dose in humansa, mg/day (total mg)

Neurologic therapeutic index (NTI)e

Primaquine [27, 34]

> 240 (> 3360)

None

NA

GI distress

15 (210)

> 16

Pamaquine [35]

1200 (1200)b

Paralyzed palate/death

≤ 7

GI distress

30 (150)

8

Pentaquine [40]

120 (1680)

Syncope, postural hypotension, erectile dysfunction

≤ 28

GI distress

60 (840)

2

Plasmocid [1, 2]

Not known

Disturbances in eye movement, muscle and equilibrium control

≤ 2

Neurotoxicityc

Not known

NA

  1. aExpressed as daily dose in mg with total dose in mg in brackets. For primaquine, pentaquine, and pamaquine this is the dose administered for radical cure of P. vivax malaria in combination with a blood schizonticidal drug
  2. bBoth clinical neurologic and histopathologic changes (at autopsy) were observed at this dose which was mistakenly consumed on a single day
  3. cSame symptoms as presented in Column 3
  4. dReference source of data is indicated in square brackets
  5. eNTI = Minimum dose known to induce clinical signs of neurotoxicity/therapeutic dose