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Mefloquine is an antimalarial drug similar to quinine, used in the treatment of malaria. It is a synthetic compound, first used in 1974. Mefloquine is one of several newer drugs available for malaria treatment, alongside chloroquine, pyrimethamine, primaquine, and artemisinin.12

While chloroquine and related drugs were once effective, many strains of Plasmodium parasites have developed resistance, leading to an increase in malaria incidence. In regions with chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum, mefloquine may be used for prevention. It can also be used in combination therapy for treating infections resistant to other drugs.23

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