ABSTRACT
Background: The combination of dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine is interested because of its efficiency and safety in treating malaria. Objective: To evaluate the influences of the fixed combination anti-malarial drug dihydroartemisinin plus piperaquine in constitutions and some biochemical and haematological indices of rabbits. Subject and Method: The sub-chronic toxicity of the fixed combination anti-malarial drug of 40 mg dihydroartemisinin plus 320 mg piperaquine phosphate (DHA-PQP), with the materials produced by Institute of Chemistry, in rabbits was investigated. Rabbits were treated daily by oral route with DHA-PQP at the dose regimens of 64 and 100 mg/kg per day for 28 consecutive days. Result and Conclusion: DHA-PQP did not affect on rabbits' constitutions. Generally, all rabbits had normal ingestions, activities, and defecations. Rabbits' body weights increased regularly along the study period and significantly increased between day 28 and day 0 (P < 0.05). At the dose regimen of 64 mg/kg per day for 28 consecutive days, DHA-PQP did not change significantly rabbits' biochemical indices (including GOT, GPT, bilirubin, creatinine and protein) and haematological. These changes were insignificantly different between the treated and control groups at the same study points (P > 0.05). With the dose regimen of 100 mg/kg, the combination did not affect significantly (P>0.05) on some rabbits' biochemical and haematological indices. But hemoglobin, erythrocyte count and rate of monocytes increased significantly on day 14 comparing to that the control group (P < 0.05) and became in normal limits on day 29 (P > 0.05). Protein concentration also increased significantly on days 14 and 29 comparing to that of day 0 (P < 0.05).