What Are Antimalarial Drugs?
Antimalarial drugs are medications used to prevent and treat malaria, a disease caused by Plasmodium parasites transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. These drugs can be classified into several types based on their mechanism of action and the stage of the parasite they target. Common antimalarial drugs include chloroquine, artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs), and atovaquone-proguanil. Preventive (prophylactic) antimalarials are often recommended for travelers to malaria-endemic areas, while therapeutic antimalarials are used to treat active infections. The choice of drug depends on the specific Plasmodium species, the geographic region, and drug resistance patterns.