title: Stereoselective pharmacokinetics of mefloquine in healthy Caucasians after multiple doses.
abstract: Mefloquine (MQ) is a chiral antimalarial agent effective against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. It is commercially available as a racemic mixture of the (+) and (-) enantiomers for oral administration. The pharmacokinetics of the (+) and (-) enantiomers of MQ were studied in eight healthy volunteers after administration of a first oral dose of 250 mg of racemic MQ and at steady state after 13 repeated doses of 250 mg given at 1-week intervals. Plasma samples were collected, and concentrations of each enantiomer were determined using a previously described achiral-chiral double column-switching liquid chromatographic method. At each time point, higher plasma concentrations values were found for the (-) enantiomer (p < 0.001). At steady state, Cmax values of (-)-MQ were higher than those of (+)-MQ (1.42 +/- 0.19 versus 0.26 +/- 0.05 mg/L; p < 0.001). Similarly, the plasma concentrations 7 days after the final dose were higher for (-)-MQ (1.01 +/- 0.26 versus 0.11 +/- 0.04 mg/L; p < 0.001). AUC values at steady state were also higher for (-)-MQ (197.3 +/- 36.7 versus 30.1 +/- 8.9 mg/L x h; p < 0.001). The terminal half-life values (T1/2beta) were longer for (-)-MQ (430.4 +/- 225.2 versus 172.8 +/- 56.5 h; p < 0.001). This study shows that the pharmacokinetics of MQ is highly stereoselective.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Pitié Salpêtrière, Pharmacie, Pharmacocinétique, Paris, France.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gimenez
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pennie
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Koren
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Crevoisier
authors.forename: I W
authors.initials: IW
authors.lastname: Wainer
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Farinotti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001682:Biological Availability; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015767:Mefloquine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D015767:Mefloquine