Gamontocides - (gamontocida; gamonts + lat. caedo to kill) are a group of drugs used to treat malaria. They work by destroying gamonts - special forms of malaria parasites at certain stages of their life cycle.
Gamonts are formed in red blood cells and the liver during malaria infection. They are inactive forms of parasites, which later turn into germ cells (micro- and macrogametocytes), responsible for the spread of the disease. Gamontocides suppress this process by destroying the gamonts and interrupting the life cycle of the malaria parasite.
Gamontocides include drugs such as primaquine, chloroquine, mefloquine and others. They are widely used in the complex treatment of malaria, especially in the treatment of the tropical (three-day) form of the disease. Gamontocides can effectively suppress parasites at various stages of development and prevent relapses of malaria.