Blood to plasma ratio of mefloquine: Interpretation and pharmacokinetic implications
- 1 January 1993
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Wiley in Biopharmaceutics & Drug Disposition
- Vol. 14 (1) , 87-91
- https://doi.org/10.1002/bdd.2510140109
Abstract
The blood to plasma ratio of the antimalarial mefloquine has been reported to be close to 1, while other reports indicate extensive accumulation in erythrocytes. This apparent contradiction has been resolved by a quantitative examination of the compensating effects of plasma protein binding of mefloquine which almost exactly matches the extent of mefloquine accumulation in erythrocytes. The observed blood to plasma ratio of about 1 arises as the result of a balance between extensive red cell uptake and extensive plasma protein binding. Some pharmacokinetic implications of the distribution of mefloquine within blood are outlined.Keywords
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