Rapid absorption and clinical effectiveness of intragastric mefloquine in the treatment of cerebral malaria in African children.

Abstract

To obviate the lack of injectable quinine in a hospital in rural Burundi, mefloquine, only available as an oral formulation, was administered (25 mg/kg bodyweight) as a single dose by nasogastric tube to four small children with cerebral malaria. All patients recovered uneventfully after a mean coma duration of 20.5 h. Mefloquine was rapidly absorbed and therapeutic serum concentrations were achieved within a few hours in all subjects, with parasite reduction ratios after 48 h within the expected range for drug-sensitive parasites. These findings suggest that intragastric mefloquine deserves consideration whenever parenteral drugs are not available for the treatment of cerebral malaria.

• Authors: G Di Perri, P Olliaro, S Ward, B Allegranzi, S Bonora, E Concia
• Journal: The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy (J Antimicrob Chemother) Vol. 44 Issue 4 Pg. 573-6 (Oct 1999) ISSN: 0305-7453 [Print] England
• PMID: 10588325 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antimalarials
• Mefloquine

Topics

• Absorption
• Antimalarials (therapeutic use)
• Child, Preschool
• Humans
• Infant
• Malaria, Cerebral (drug therapy)
• Mefloquine (administration & dosage, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic use)