Single dose pharmacokinetics of mefloquine in healthy Nigerian male subjects

Abstract

Single dose pharmacokinetics of mefloquine was determined in SJ ic healthy Nigerian male subjects. Mefloquine 500mg single dose was administered and blood sa  mples were collected 11t intervals. Plasma concentrations were determined by RP-HPLC method after sample pretreated step by solid phase extraction technique. Analytical characteristics of the HPLC system showed a plasma recovery of between 82.3 and 93% with an intra-day precision of 9.83% and 6.1 % inter-day  precision. Absorption was rapid with a t_1/2a, of 4.2h and a T_max of 10h. The corresponding C_max was l.77ug/ml and an AUCo-x of 19.05mg/L. day. The volume of distribution Vd/f was small, 9.43L/kg with a corresponding total plasma clearance of 0.453L/day/kg. The elimination was slow with a t_1/28 of 18. 60 days.