suramin

Indications

• Trypanosoma brucei gambiense & rhodesiense, Stage I (normal CSF)

Contraindications

patients with renal insufficiency

Dosage

• 100-200 mg IV test dose to detect hypersensitivity
• adults: 1 g IV on days 1,3,7,14 & 21
• children: 20 mg/kg/day (max 1 g) IV on days 1,3,7,14 & 21
• slow IV infusion of freshly prepared 10% aqueous solution

Pharmacokinetics

• does not penetrate blood-brain barrier

Monitor

• urinalysis
• discontinue if proteinuria or RBC in urine

Adverse effects

• transient proteinuria is common
• renal failure
• fever
• photophobia
• pruritus
• arthralgias
• skin eruptions
• immediate, severe, potentially fatal hypersensitivity reaction (1 in 20,000)
  • nausea/vomiting
  • shock
  • seizures

More general terms

• amide
• sulfonic acid
• antiprotozoal agent
• pharmaceutical angiogenesis inhibitor (angiostatic agent)

Database

• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=8514
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=5361
• PubChem: http://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/summary/summary.cgi?cid=5360