AJTMH HINARI
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 34(6), 1985, pp. 1028-1036
Copyright © 1985 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Chanthavanich, P.
Right arrow Articles by Von Bredow, J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Chanthavanich, P.
Right arrow Articles by Von Bredow, J.

Intragastric Mefloquine is Absorbed Rapidly in Patients with Cerebral Malaria

Pornthep Chanthavanich*, Sornchai Looareesuwan*, Nicholas J. White*,{dagger},, David A. Warrell*,{dagger},, M. J. Warrell*,{dagger},, Joseph H. DiGiovanni{ddagger} AND Jurgen Von Bredow{ddagger}
* Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
{dagger} Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine and Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford and Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, England
{ddagger} Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Washington, DC

Mefloquine has proved effective in chloroquine- and quinine-resistant falciparum malaria, but it cannot be given parenterally. We have measured the absorption of mefloquine hydrochloride suspension (mean 15.6, range 9.7–28.6 mg/kg) given by nasogastric tube to 19 cerebral malaria patients already receiving intravenous quinine. Absorption was rapid with both dose schedules used; mean absorption half-times were 1.5 and 1.8 hr, and plasma mefloquine concentrations exceeded 200 ng/g within 3 hr of completing administration in all but one exceptionally ill patient who died 40 hr later. Steady state plasma concentrations over 7 days ranged from 300 to 1,050 (mean 561) ng/g. Bioavailability of mefloquine suspension in cerebral malaria therefore appears to be adequate for treatment in all but the most severely ill patients. Although intragastric mefloquine cannot now be recommended as an alternative to intravenous quinine for the treatment of severe chloroquine-resistant falciparum malaria, this situation could change if quinine resistance increases further.

Accepted for publication May 29, 1985.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1985 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.