title: Mefloquine disposition in normals and in patients with severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
abstract: Mefloquine pharmacokinetics were studied in Kenyan African normal volunteers and in patients with severe acute attack of Plasmodium 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 less than or equal to 0.001). The volume of distribution was significantly smaller in severe malaria where it was 30.76 +/- 10.50 l/kg (mean +/- SD) while in the normal subjects it was 40.90 +/- 20.70 l/kg (mean +/- SD) (P less than or equal to 0.001). The total body clearance in severe malaria was 3.75 +/- 1.51 l/h (mean +/- SD). This was significantly lower than in the normal subjects where it was 5.15 +/- 1.50 l/h (mean +/- SD) (P less than or equal to 0.001).
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
authors.forename: F D
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Juma
authors.forename: J O
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: Ogeto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D015767:Mefloquine; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum; D011804:Quinolines / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D011804:Quinolines; D015767:Mefloquine