MALARIA RECRUDESCENCE: WHY YOUR ANTIMALARIAL DRUG (ACTs) DO NOT WORK SOMETIMES

We want to do a bit of clarification on the effects of co-administering ACT antimalarial agents such as Artemether+Lumefantrine antimalarial e.g Lonart DS, Coartem etc with blood tonic especially (the ones with iron) and Vitamin c (ascorbic acid)  

Please you need to wait till you are done with your malaria treatment before taking any form of blood tonics or supplements prepared in any form. Also, Vitamin C in tablets or fruits rich in Vitamin C should be avoided at all cost when taking malaria medication. 

The course of duration for ACTs is usually 3 days, hence it is advised you take your Vitamin C tabs after 3days.

The erythrocytes (red blood cells) are composed of elements with HAEMOGLOBIN been its basic unit. Haemoglobin is made up of HAEM( this is rich in iron) and GLOBIN.
Plasmodium falciparum i.e the malaria parasite makes use of iron contained in the HAEM part of the haemoglobin, this is a mechanism the malaria parasites use to multiply.

After destroying and breaking down the erythrocytes it happens that this parasites are targeting the HAEM component. These parasites succeed in infecting as many red blood cells as possible, the breaking down of RBCs causes anemia ( Anemia is a condition caused as a result of depleted RBCs in the blood in this case caused by malaria parasites).

Taking blood tonics while treating malaria would create more room for more parasites to exist as the HAEM (iron) present in most blood tonics taken to avert anemia after destroying the malaria parasites with ACTs might not be effective, the presence of iron in the body system would thus enhance the parasites survival in the blood.
Artemisinin derivatives such as Artemether are made up of an endoperoxide ring which are activated by the HAEM-IRON in the blood which catalyzes their cleavage or breakage to form free radicals aka oxidants.

Vitamin C is an ANTI-oxidant and thus acts as an anti oxidant which means it naturally attacks and inhibits the progression of free radicals or oxidants in the body or antagonizes the effects of oxidative derivatives induced by the ACTs(Artemisinin Combination Therapy)

Taking Vitamin C with your drug would therefore lead to the destruction of those free radicals that are supposed to kill the malaria parasites, thus giving room for proliferation/multiplication.

Next time you are given Blood supplements and (or) VITAMIN C with your ANTIMALARIAL DRUG'S be wise to finish with your malaria treatment before proceeding with the vitamins and blood tonics so as to prevent relapse and/or recrudescence.