On the question of dose-dependent chloroquine elimination of a single oral dose

Subjects (n = 45) were randomly given single oral doses of 2 (n = 11), 3 (n = 9), 5 (n = 8), 10 (n = 10), or 15 mg/kg (n = 7) chloroquine base. Chloroquine was analyzed by HPLC in serum samples taken at 3 to 168 hr after dosing. AUCs, calculated for the time period of 0 to 168 hr were proportional to the doses. Mean AUC value increased 6.7 times when the dose was increased 7.5 times (from 2 to 15 mg/kg). These data do not support the existence of significant capacity-limited chloroquine elimination within the dose range studied.