Summary
The pharmacokinetics of quinine has been studied in ten healthy adult Africans after intravenous infusion and oral ingestion of a 500 mg dose. Blood and saliva samples were collected over 48 h and quinine in plasma, red cells and saliva was determined by HPLC.
Quinine was rapidly and almost completely absorbed after an oral dose, with absorption half-life of 0.53 h, a tmax of 1–3 h and a bioavailability of 88%. Analysis of the i. v. data gave an apparent volume of distribution of 3.6 1·kg−1 and a plasma clearance of 0.19 l·kg−1·h−1. The concentration-time curves for plasma, red cells and saliva had declining phases were approximately parallel, giving a similar half-life that in all three media. The half-lives after the i. v. infusion also did not different from those after oral administration. The dose was well tolerated by both methods of administration.
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Salako, L.A., Sowunmi, A. Disposition of quinine in plasma, red blood cells and saliva after oral and intravenous administration to healthy adult Africans. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 42, 171–174 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00278479
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00278479