1,3-Dichloro-a-[2-(dibutylamino)ethyl]-6-(trifluoromethyl)-9-phenanthrenemethanol hydrochloride, Halfan

Halofantrine is a drug that belongs to the class of antimalarial drugs. Halofantrine is used for the treatment of malaria and other infectious diseases, such as listeriosis, bacterial septicaemia, and toxoplasmosis. Halofantrine can be administered orally or intravenously. It is metabolized in vivo to form halofantrine HCl (HFA), which has a greater effect on serum prolactin levels and cardiac effects than the parent compound. In vitro assays have shown that HFA causes toxicity to epidermal cells and inhibits polymerase chain reaction (PCR) activity in mammalian cells. The toxic effects on skin cells are probably due to inhibition of DNA synthesis and protein synthesis. There are also reports of cardiotoxicity in patients given high doses of HFA for prolonged periods (>3 months). In addition, HFA is associated with metabolic disorders including hypokalemia, hyperglycemia, and hypophosphatemia.