Mefloquine Research Paper

Introduction

The burden of disease of malaria in Africa is very great even though malaria is very preventable and completely curable. Antimalarial drugs are a group of medications, either used separately or in conjunction with each other, used in the prevention and treatment of malaria. When malaria is identified and treated on time, a full recovery should be anticipated. As previously stated many antimalarial drugs not only treat but also prevent malaria however if a patient uses a certain antimalarial to prevent the disease but still gets infected the same drug should not be used to then treat the disease.

The kind of antimalarial treatment and how for long you should to take it will be determined by:

• the kind of malaria you contracted

taken once a week Some people don’t like weekly medication

Good choice for long trips Not good for short notice travellers because medication must be taken 2 weeks to departure

Can be used by pregnant women Medication must be taken for four weeks after travel Cannot be used in areas of Mefloquine resistance

Therapeutic group and Source

Mefloquine is a drug that belongs in the therapeutics group that is antimalarial drugs.

This compound belongs to the class of organic compounds known as quinolones and derivatives. The source of this drug is synthetic compounds.

Preparation and Indication

Mefloquine is usually prepared as a white, cylindrical 250mg tablet.

It is indicated for the prevention and treatment of malaria especially in areas of drug resistance e.g. it is the preferred agent in areas of Chloroquine resistance.

Dosage

The suggested complete therapeutic quantities of Lariam 250mg pills comparative to body weight are presented in the following table: Preventative Curative Not infected Non-immune Partially

It is most commonly packaged in tablet form so the route of administration is oral although depending on the severity of the infection an enteral (intravenous) route of administration may be considered.

Mechanism of action and Elimination

Mefloquine has been found to produce swelling of Plasmodium falciparum food vacuoles. It may also act by forming toxic complexes with free heme that damage membranes and act with plasmodial components.

Mefloquine has a half-life of 33 days and the steady state is reached with a weekly dose of 7 weeks and a loading dose of 4 days. It is primarily eliminated by bile in the faeces and also in urine (9% remains unchanged and 4% primary metabolite).

Common adverse effects

 Dizziness

 Headache

 Sleep Disturbance (Insomnia and vivid dreams)

 Risk of long term and vertigo

 Psychiatric reactions

 Anxiety

 Depression

 Panic attacks

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