Quantitative estimation of clofazimine in tissue

The histological examination and the chemical estimation of clofazimine in the organs removed at autopsy of a patient receiving the drug indicated the accumulation of the drug in the organs of the reticulo-endothelial system and those having a large number of macrophages. The clofazimine levels in the skin from patients receiving the drug and those in whom the drug had been stopped for different periods of time were compared. The skin levels of clofazimine bore a direct relationship to the size of the granuloma. A slow elimination of the drug from the tissues was indicated by the presence of traces of the skin tissue even 1-2 years after stopping the drug. The clinical implication of these findings are discussed.