Tafenoquine is a malaria medication. It's only available as 2 different brand-name medications: Arakoda to prevent malaria in adults and Krintafel to treat malaria for people age 16 years and older. Before you can start tafenoquine, your provider will order lab work to make sure you don't have a genetic blood condition that raises your risk for hemolytic anemia, a serious blood condition. Some side effects of tafenoquine include dizziness, headache, and nausea.
Tafenoquine is an antimalarial medication. It kills the parasites that cause malaria by disturbing certain processes that the parasites need to grow.
| Common Brands | Arakoda, Krintafel |
|---|---|
| Drug Class | Antimalarial |
| Controlled Substance Classification | Not a controlled medication |
| Generic Status | No lower-cost generic available |
| Availability | Prescription only |
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
*Side effects reported by people taking chloroquine and Krintafel (tafenoquine) together
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
Tafenoquine can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Tafenoquine can cause dangerously low red blood cells (hemolytic anemia) in people who have a genetic condition called G6PD deficiency. Before starting tafenoquine, your provider will test you for G6PD deficiency. If you're able to become pregnant, your provider might ask you to take a pregnancy test before starting tafenoquine. This medication isn't recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding because even if your G6PD level is normal, but you're pregnant with or breastfeeding a baby that has G6PD deficiency, this medication can cause harm to your baby. You're recommended to use effective birth control and pause breastfeeding during treatment with and for 3 months after your last dose of tafenoquine. Get medical help right away if you experience symptoms of hemolytic anemia, such as tiredness, shortness of breath, fast heartbeat, dark urine, or a fever while taking tafenoquine,
A serious blood condition called methemoglobinemia has been reported when using tafenoquine. When your body makes too much of a protein called methemoglobin, your red blood cells deliver less oxygen to different parts of your body. This can cause serious side effects like blue or gray skin color, seizures, coma, changes in heart rate or rhythm, and death. Your risk is higher if you have G6PD deficiency or a family history of methemoglobinemia caused by a genetic condition. Get medical help as soon as possible if you experience pale, blue, or gray skin color, headache, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, or lightheadedness, as these can be early signs of this blood condition.
Tafenoquine can cause mental health symptoms, such as anxiety, abnormal dreams, trouble sleeping, depression, and psychosis. Your risk is higher if you have a history of mental health conditions. Don't take Arakoda if you're currently experiencing or have a history of psychosis. Some people might not notice these side effects until many weeks after starting tafenoquine. Make sure to discuss your medical history with your provider before taking tafenoquine, and let your provider know right away if you notice symptoms such as any changes in your mood, start to see or hear things that aren't there, start to have nightmares, or trouble sleeping.
Krintafel is only approved to be taken with chloroquine. You must start Krintafel on the first or second day you start chloroquine. If you take Krintafel with any other malaria medication, it won't work as well and you'll have a higher risk of malaria coming back.
Tablet| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150mg | 16 tablets | $268.05 | $16.75 |
Malaria prevention (Arakoda)
Arakoda can be taken for up to 6 months at a time.
Malaria treatment (Krintafel)
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Tafenoquine will not be safe for you to take.
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You should swallow Krintafel whole with food. Don't break or crush the tablets. If you're taking Arakoda for malaria prevention, make sure you finish the full course, including the doses you need to take before you travel to an area with malaria and the single dose you need to complete after you come back from your trip. If you're taking Krintafel for malaria treatment, you should take it along with chloroquine. Ask your provider if you're not sure how you're supposed to take Krintafel.
Once you return from traveling, you'll need to take one more dose of Arakoda (Krintafel) 200 mg. Take this 7 days after your last maintenance dose.
No. Taking Krintafel during pregnancy isn't recommended. There isn't enough information available to know if Krintafel is safe for humans to take during pregnancy. But in animal studies, Krintafel caused harm to pregnant mothers and their unborn babies. Taking Krintafel during pregnancy can cause hemolytic anemia (a condition where red blood cells are destroyed) in an unborn baby if the baby has a genetic blood condition. If you're able to become pregnant, your provider might ask you to take a pregnancy test before starting Krintafel to make sure you're not pregnant. You're recommended to use effective birth control during treatment with Krintafel and for 3 months after your last dose of this medication. Ask your provider about safer options for malaria treatment and prevention during pregnancy.
There are multiple medication options used to prevent malaria for travelers. Your provider can help you choose one based on different factors, such as your age, the region of the world you're traveling to, or your medical history. Arakoda (Krintafel) might be a good option for people who are age 18 or older, who aren't pregnant or breastfeeding, and who don't have a history of mental illness. Ask your provider what's the best medication option for you during your travel.
Before you can take Krintafel, your provider will order a test to see if you have glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. This is a genetic disorder that causes red blood cells (RBCs) to break down too quickly and can lead to problems, like anemia. Krintafel can raise the risk of this happening in people with G6PD deficiency. Symptoms include feeling tired, trouble breathing, fast heartbeat, dark urine, and fever. If you experience any of these symptoms while taking Krintafel, let your provider know right away.
