The Effect of Co-administered Drugs and Food on the Absorption of Artemether–Lumefantrine Tablet

The physicochemical properties of drugs, their dosage forms and routes of administration affect the rate and extent of drug absorption. Oral administration of drugs presents with variable absorption profiles due to multifarious factors. The first fixed-dose artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT), artemether-lumefantrine widely employed for the treatment of uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria is being threatened by the report of rapidly developing drug resistance in some part of the world. Success from this therapy has been linked to the synergistic effect of the component drugs which is anchored on the artemether and more importantly, lumefantrine exposure. The drug and food effect on the pharmacokinetic profiles of artemether and lumefantrine antimalarial agents are reviewed.