Mefloquine (WR 142,490) in the treatment of human malaria.
Mefloquine hydrochloride, a new 4-quinolinemethanol, was administered as a single oral dose to 47 volunteers infected with malaria. Treatment resulted in rapid clearence of fever and parasitemia. No recrudescence of parasites was observed after treatment of chloroquine-sensitive infections of Plasmodium falciparum. More significantly, in nonimmune persons with chloroquine-resistant infections, 1 gram of mefloquine cured 10 of 12 patients and 1.5 grams cured all 8 patients who received this dose of the drug. The marked activity of a single dose of mefloquine against chloroquine-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum suggests that this agent may be more useful than currently available drugs are for the treatment of drug-resistant malaria.
D000962:Antimalarials / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D009154:Mutation; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D011804:Quinolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000962:Antimalarials; D010880:Piperidines; D011804:Quinolines; D002738:Chloroquine