[Mefloquine in the treatment and prevention of malaria ]

Mefloquine (WR 142,490 or Ro 21,5998) is a new antimalarial drug, 4-quinoline methanol derivative, with a prolonged half-life in man and a good activity against multidrug resistant P. falciparum strains. Tolerance and pharmacokinetic evaluated in 8 black African subjects, is according to previously studies in American or Asian patients: the mean whole blood half-life is 15,6 days. Efficiency of various regimens (1 g in 3 days; 1,50 g in 3 intakes, one day; 25 mg per kg in one intake) was studied on 39 patients, infected by african strains of P falciparum in 26 cases. Fever and parasitemia disappeared within 3 days in all cases. Sera from these patients showed a complete inhibition of P. falciparum continuous culture on day 30 at least. The use of mefloquine may be actually reserved for area where resistant strains of P. falciparum are widespread. In African this use, in theory possible, is not warrant.