Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mefloquine disposition in normals and in patients with severePlasmodium falciparum malaria

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
European Journal of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Mefloquine pharmacokinetics were studied in Kenyan African normal volunteers and in patients with severe acute attack ofPlasmodium falciparum malaria. Peak concentrations were achieved in both groups at 20 – 24 hours. The mean half-life of elimination was 385±150 hours (mean±SD) in normal subjects while in severe malaria it was 493 ±215 hours which was significantly longer (P<-0.001).

The volume of distribution was significantly smaller in severe malaria where it was 30.76±10.501/kg (mean±SD) while in the normal subjects it was 40.90±20.70 1/kg (mean±SD) (P<-0.001). The total body clearance in severe malaria was 3.75±1.511/h (mean±SD). This was significantly lower than in the normal subjects where it was 5.15 ±1.50 1/h (mean±SD) (P<-0.001).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Juma F.D. (1984): Treatment of complicated malaria. East Afr. Med. J., 61, 727–728.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. WHO (1983): Development of mefloquine as antimalarial drug, Bull. WHO 61, 169–178.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Desjardins R.G., Pamplin C.L., Von Bredow J.Q., Barry M.D., Canfield CJ. (1979): Kinetics of a new antimalarial mefloquine. Clin. Pharmacol. Ther., 26, 372–379.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Fernex M (1983): Urgent need to develop new antimalarials. Schwez. Rundschen Med. (Praxis), 70, 1025.

    Google Scholar 

  5. Kapetanovic LM., Digiovanni J.D., Bartosevich J, Melendez V., Von Bredow J.Q., Heiffer M. (1983): Analysis of the antimalarial, mefloquine in blood and plasma using HPLC. J. Chromatogr., 277, 209–215.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Riviere JH., Back DJ., Breckenridge A.M., Howells R.E. (1985): The pharmacokinetics of mefloquine on antipyrine metabolism. Br. J. Clin. Pharmacol., 20, 467–474.

    Google Scholar 

  7. Grindel J.M, Fitton P.F., Shaffer R.D. (1977): Quantitation of the antimalarial agent, mefloquine in blood, plasma, and urine using high pressure liquid chromatography. J. Pharmacol. Sci., 66, 834–837.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Schwartz DE., Weber W., Richard-Lenoble D., Dentilin M. (1980): Kinetic studies of mefloquine and one of its metabolites RO-21-5104, in the dog and man. Acta Tropical, 37, 238–242.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Pharmacy, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya

    J. O. Ogeto

  2. Division of Clinical Pharmacology, College of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Nairobi, P.O. Box 30588, Nairobi, Kenya

    F. D. Juma

Authors
  1. F. D. Juma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. J. O. Ogeto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Juma, F.D., Ogeto, J.O. Mefloquine disposition in normals and in patients with severePlasmodium falciparum malaria. Eur. J. Drug Metab. Pharmacokinet. 14, 15–17 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03190836

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03190836

Key words

Search

Navigation