Chloroquine kinetics in normal and P. knowlesi infected rhesus monkeys

A single oral dose of 20 mg/kg body weight of chloroquine was administered to normal and P. knowlesi infected Rhesus monkeys. The plasma chloroquine half-life was significantly increased (p less than 0.05) in infected monkeys as compared to the normal monkeys. The clearance and volume of distribution were significantly decreased in the infected monkeys. The decreased elimination half-life of the drug in infected monkeys could be due to hepatic involvement during malaria infection.