ABSTRACT
Aim: Artesunate (artemisinin derivative) prophylaxis is one of the preferred treatments for malaria including Plasmodium falciparum malaria in Nigeria as well as other tropical and subtropical countries. Also widely consumed in the tropics for its taste and alcohol content is palm wine. It is not uncommon to find some individuals on artesunate medication consuming palm wine with the belief that such a combination makes malaria treatment more effective. Therefore, this study is aimed at assessing the effects of artesunate intake and palm wine consumption on renal function. Study Design: Thirty participants aged 18 to 35 years were randomly assigned into 3 groups of 10 persons per group namely; palm wine and artesunate, palm wine only and artesunate only groups. Each group received their treatments for 7 days. Methodology: This study employs the use of pre-treatment and post-treatment design, with each subject serving as its control. Serum levels of electrolytes, urea, creatinine and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were assessed before and after 7 days of treatment. Participants were all Africans (n=30) and were the staff of the Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Calabar. Results: Significant increase (p<0.05) in serum Na+ and a decrease in K+ levels above pretreatment values were observed in the palm wine and artesunate group. Creatinine concentrations of both palm wine and artesunate, as well as artesunate only groups, were significantly increased above control values. Creatinine clearance rate was significantly reduced (p<0.05) in the palm wine and artesunate group. Conclusion: Combined consumption of fresh palm wine and artesunate decreased creatinine clearance rate as well as eGFR. This decrease may be followed by a decline in the other renal function indices.