looks like the liquid/syrup version has around 1mg per 5ml dose of ketotifen - whereas effective doses for significant action against malaria strains in the study were in the region of 50mg per kg of body weight or more - for the average human that would be over 3000mg a day .....
also mentions 160mg/kg per day for 3 days to be curative
even allowing a 10x factor for mouse v human drug action - would still indicate 300mg a day for humans for significant anti-malarial action
logically a fraction of a 1mg oral dose applied to the skin is likely to transfer only a small percentage of that fraction to the bloodstream - as skin absorption is limited for most drugs
it seems more likely that the reaction you observed was either related to its anti-asthma effects - which i think are targeted at modulating immune system chemokines or cytokines - - note that the anti-asthma doses are approx. 100times less than the anti-malaria doses - and that even at these doses there are many listed side effects - or possibly even unrelated to the dug itself as many symptoms of these odd illnesses fluctuate by themselves or based on other things.
https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=4260846Side Effects
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Chills
cough
diarrhea
fever
general feeling of discomfort or illness
headache
joint pain
loss of appetite
muscle aches and pains
nausea
runny nose
shivering
sore throat
sweating
trouble sleeping
unusual tiredness or weakness
vomiting
Rare
Abdominal or stomach pain
blistering, itching, peeling, or redness of skin
bloody or cloudy urine
clay-colored stools
convulsions
dark urine
difficult, burning, or painful urination
dizziness
frequent urge to urinate
muscle spasm or jerking of all extremities
rash
sudden loss of consciousness
unpleasant breath odor
vomiting of blood
yellow eyes or skin
Symptoms of overdose
Blurred vision
confusion
convulsions
disorientation
dizziness
drowsiness (severe)
faintness or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position
fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
hyperexcitability
loss of consciousness
palpitations
sweating
unusual tiredness or weakness
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
More common
Weight gain
Less common or rare
Bloody nose
drowsiness
dryness of mouth
excitation
increased appetite
irritability
nervousness
swelling of eyelids
unexplained nosebleeds