WHOLE-BLOOD CONCENTRATIONS OF MEFLOQUINE ENANTIOMERS IN HEALTHY THAI VOLUNTEERS

We studied the pharmacokinetics of the enantiomers of mefloquine in wh ole blood in healthy Thai volunteers after administration of a single oral dose of 750 mg of the racemic mixture. Mefloquine pharmacokinetic s were stereoselective. The peak concentrations and areas under the cu rve of the (-) enantiomer were significantly higher than those of its antipode (0.79 versus 0.46 mu g . ml(-1) and 402 versus 94 mu g . h . ml(-1)). The half-lives of (-) MQ were significantly longer than those of(+) MQ (531 versus 206 h). No stereoselectivity was observed for t( max) values.