Artemether is an antimalarial derived from artemisinin, the compound from the sweet wormwood plant that transformed malaria treatment. In Nigeria the standalone product is an oil-based 80mg/ml injection given into the muscle, used for severe (complicated) malaria — the life-threatening form with danger signs like inability to sit or drink, repeated vomiting, convulsions, dark urine, or drowsiness. Every artemether-only product in our copy of the NAFDAC register is this injection; the artemether taken as tablets is the combination artemether-lumefantrine, which has its own page.
In the NAFDAC register
500 registered products
from 273 registration holders
+1 more country
What it costs online
Price varies — check with a pharmacy. This drug has not yet appeared in our fortnightly sampling of Nigerian online pharmacies.
Brands of Artemether in Nigeria
Comes as
- Injection80 mg/mL· 42 makers80 mg· 3 makers
Those 500 products from 273 registration holders include combination products and older listings; below are the most common brands.
| Brand Name | Manufacturer | Strength | Form | NAFDAC Reg. No. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teka Artemether | Teka Pharmaceutical | 80mg/ml | Injection | B4-5228 |
| Nemether | Chupet Pharmaceutical | 80mg/ml | Injection | A4-7391 |
| Freshborn Artemether | Freshborn Industries | 80mg/ml | Injection | B4-7146 |
| Amakin Artemether | Amakin Pharmaceuticals Nigeria | 80mg/ml | Injection | B4-3182 |
| ZMC Artemether | Demytex Pharma | 80mg/ml | Injection | B4-2571 |
Artemether Price in Nigeria
Artemether injection is a hospital and wholesale product — it moves through clinical channels rather than the online retail listings we sample, which is why no naira figure appears here. Note that for ordinary (uncomplicated) malaria, tablets — artemether-lumefantrine, which we do price — are the recommended treatment; injections are for severe malaria under clinical care. For wholesale quantities, registered distributors quote per ampoule.
We show a price here once it appears in our monthly sampling of Nigerian online pharmacies (MedPlus, HealthPlus), or when we have a reliable market figure. For now, confirm the current price directly with a licensed pharmacy.
How to Verify Your Artemether is Genuine
- 1Check the NAFDAC registration number on the carton and verify it on the NAFDAC Greenbook or a free checker — antimalarial injections are among Nigeria's most counterfeited medicines
- 2Confirm the product name, manufacturer, and strength on the record match the carton exactly
- 3Buy from a licensed pharmacy or receive it in a proper facility; ampoules should be sealed, clear, and within expiry
- 4Be suspicious of loose ampoules sold without a carton, and of prices far below the market
- 5If a pack carries a Mobile Authentication Service (MAS) scratch panel, scratch it and text the PIN to the number printed on the pack
Where to Buy
Buying Artemether by the carton
Cartons are bought at Nigeria's four open drug markets. Each guide names the sellers there you can contact, and how to buy safely:
No shop we list has Artemether on its confirmed product list yet — the market guides still tell you where the trade happens and how to buy there safely.
Wherever you buy, buy only from licensed pharmacies and verified distributors — not roadside vendors — and verify the pack's NAFDAC registration before you pay. Buying Artemether in bulk or for resale? See how to buy medicines in bulk in Nigeria safely.
Need Artemether in bulk, or can't find it near you?
Tell us what you need and we'll connect you with a verified, NAFDAC-registered source.
What is Artemether?
It matters to be clear about its place: for severe malaria, both WHO and Nigerian treatment guidelines recommend injectable artesunate first, because trials showed it saves more lives. Artemether injection is the accepted alternative when artesunate is not available — a situation that is still common in many Nigerian facilities, which is why dozens of artemether brands remain registered and stocked. It is given deep into the thigh muscle, and because it is dissolved in oil it is absorbed slowly and must never be given into a vein.
An injection course never completes the treatment on its own. As soon as the patient can swallow, treatment must be finished with a full course of an artemisinin-based combination (ACT), such as artemether-lumefantrine tablets — stopping at the injections leaves parasites alive, invites the malaria back, and breeds resistance to the drug class Nigeria depends on most. Genuine packs carry a NAFDAC registration number, and antimalarial injections are among the most counterfeited medicines in the country, so verify before use.
What is Artemether used for?
In Nigeria, Artemether is commonly used for:
- Severe (complicated) malaria, as the intramuscular alternative where injectable artesunate is not available
- Malaria in patients who cannot take medicines by mouth — repeated vomiting, prostration, reduced consciousness — until they can swallow
- Pre-referral treatment in peripheral facilities while a severely ill patient is moved to hospital
- It is NOT a treatment for ordinary (uncomplicated) malaria — that is what ACT tablets are for
Dosage
IMPORTANT
Always follow your doctor's or pharmacist's instructions. The information below is for general reference only.
Adults
For severe malaria: 3.2mg per kg of body weight by deep intramuscular injection into the front of the thigh as a loading dose, then 1.6mg/kg once daily until the patient can take oral medicine (usually within a few days, up to 7 days maximum), always followed by a full course of ACT tablets. Treatment is hospital- or clinic-directed; this is never a self-administered medicine.
Children
Same weight-based dosing (3.2mg/kg loading, then 1.6mg/kg daily), given in hospital. Severe malaria kills children fastest — a child with danger signs needs a facility, not a patent-medicine shop.
Elderly
Same weight-based dosing, with closer monitoring of heart rhythm and fluid status.
Deep intramuscular injection only — never intravenous, because the oily solution is not made for veins. Absorption from the muscle can be unreliable in severely shocked patients, one reason artesunate is preferred where available. The injections only knock the infection down; the full ACT course afterwards is what cures it. If symptoms have not clearly improved within 24–48 hours, the patient needs reassessment, not more of the same injection.
Side Effects
Common side effects
- •Pain, swelling, or a firm lump at the injection site
- •Headache and dizziness
- •Nausea, vomiting, or abdominal discomfort
- •Fever and weakness (often from the malaria itself as much as the drug)
Serious side effects — seek medical help immediately
- Allergic reaction — rash, swelling of the face or throat, difficulty breathing — seek help immediately
- A slow or irregular heartbeat
- Ringing in the ears or hearing changes (rare, usually reversible)
- No improvement or worsening drowsiness/convulsions within 24–48 hours — this is treatment failure or progressing disease and needs urgent escalation, not a repeat of the same injection
When to see a doctor
Severe malaria is treated in a facility, so a doctor should already be involved. Escalate urgently if consciousness worsens, convulsions occur, urine turns dark or scanty, breathing becomes laboured, or there is no clear improvement within 48 hours.
Warnings & Precautions
Do not take Artemether if you have:
- Known allergy to artemether or other artemisinin derivatives (artesunate, dihydroartemisinin)
- Never use as monotherapy for uncomplicated malaria — this drives artemisinin resistance and is against WHO and Nigerian guidelines
- Do not inject intravenously — deep intramuscular only
- Use in the first trimester of pregnancy only when the doctor judges the malaria to be the greater danger, which in severe malaria it almost always is
Drug interactions
- •Strong enzyme inducers such as rifampicin and some antiretrovirals or anticonvulsants can lower artemether levels and weaken treatment
- •Other medicines that affect heart rhythm (some antiarrhythmics, antipsychotics, quinolones) — added caution
- •Mefloquine and other antimalarials — combining is a specialist decision, not a default
- •Tell the treating team every medicine the patient takes, including herbal antimalarial mixtures
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Severe malaria in pregnancy is an emergency that endangers mother and baby more than the treatment does; it is managed in hospital, where guidelines support artemisinin derivatives, with injectable artesunate preferred. Breastfeeding can generally continue during treatment — confirm with the treating doctor.
Related Resources for Artemether
Guides, articles, and tools related to Artemether and other antimalarials medicines in Nigeria.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sources
- •NAFDAC Greenbook — the official database of all products registered with Nigeria's National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control. Brand-level NAFDAC numbers for Artemether on this page were cross-referenced against the Greenbook.
- •WHO Model List of Essential Medicines — Artemether is included in the WHO's list of essential medicines, meaning it is considered essential for basic healthcare needs.
- •British National Formulary (BNF) dosing and interaction guidance for Artemether.
- •Nigerian Standard Treatment Guidelines (Federal Ministry of Health).
Daily puzzle: Meddle — pair five brands with their medicines. New game at midnight.