İHALE DÜNYASI
Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets are an antimalarial agent available as 250-mg tablets of mefloquine hydrochloride (equivalent to 228.0 mg of the free base) for oral administration. Mefloquine hydrochloride is a 4-quinolinemethanol derivative with the specific chemical name of (R*,S*)-(±)-?-2-piperidinyl-2,8-bis (trifluoromethyl)-4-quinolinemethanol hydrochloride. It is a 2-aryl substituted chemical structural analog of quinine. The drug is a white to almost white crystalline compound, slightly soluble in water. Mefloquine hydrochloride has a calculated molecular weight of 414.78 and the following structural formula: Each tablet, for oral administration, contains 250 mg mefloquine hydrochloride and the following inactive ingredients: colloidal silicon dioxide, corn starch, crospovidone, lactose monohydrate, lactose spray dried, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polysorbate 80, polyvinylpyrrolidone and talc. Mefloquine Hydrochloride Chemical Structure
Treatment of Acute Malaria Infections Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets are indicated for the treatment of mild to moderate acute malaria caused by mefloquine-susceptible strains of P. falciparum (both chloroquine-susceptible and resistant strains) or by Plasmodium vivax . There are insufficient clinical data to document the effect of mefloquine in malaria caused by P. ovale or P. malariae . Note: Patients with acute P. vivax malaria, treated with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets, are at high risk of relapse because Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets do not eliminate exoerythrocytic (hepatic phase) parasites. To avoid relapse, after initial treatment of the acute infection with mefloquine, patients should subsequently be treated with an 8-aminoquinoline derivative (e.g., primaquine). Prevention of Malaria Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets are indicated for the prophylaxis of P. falciparum and P. vivax malaria infections, including prophylaxis of chloroquine-resistant strains of P. falciparum .
(see INDICATIONS AND USAGE ) Adult Patients Treatment of mild to moderate malaria in adults caused by P. vivax or mefloquine-susceptible strains of P. falciparum Five tablets (1250 mg) mefloquine hydrochloride to be given as a single oral dose. The drug should not be taken on an empty stomach and should be administered with at least 8 oz (240 mL) of water. If a full-treatment course with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets does not lead to improvement within 48 to 72 hours, Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should not be used for retreatment. An alternative therapy should be used. Similarly, if previous prophylaxis with mefloquine has failed, Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should not be used for curative treatment. Note: Patients with acute P. vivax malaria, treated with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets, are at high risk of relapse because Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets do not eliminate exoerythrocytic (hepatic phase) parasites. To avoid relapse after initial treatment of the acute infection with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets, patients should subsequently be treated with an 8-aminoquinoline derivative (e.g., primaquine). Malaria Prophylaxis One 250 mg Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablet once weekly. Prophylactic drug administration should begin 1 week before arrival in an endemic area. Subsequent weekly doses should be taken regularly, always on the same day of each week, preferably after the main meal. To reduce the risk of malaria after leaving an endemic area, prophylaxis must be continued for 4 additional weeks to ensure suppressive blood levels of the drug when merozoites emerge from the liver. Tablets should not be taken on an empty stomach and should be administered with at least 8 oz (240 mL) of water. In certain cases, e.g., when a traveler is taking other medication, it may be desirable to start prophylaxis 2 to 3 weeks prior to departure, in order to ensure that the combination of drugs is well tolerated (see PRECAUTIONS: Drug Interactions ). When prophylaxis with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets fails, physicians should carefully evaluate which antimalarial to use for therapy. Pediatric Patients Treatment of mild to moderate malaria in pediatric patients caused by mefloquine-susceptible strains of P. falciparum Twenty (20) to 25 mg/kg body weight. Splitting the total therapeutic dose into 2 doses taken 6 to 8 hours apart may reduce the occurrence or severity of adverse effects. Experience with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets in pediatric patients weighing less than 20 kg is limited. The drug should not be taken on an empty stomach and should be administered with ample water. The tablets may be crushed and suspended in a small amount of water, milk or other beverage for administration to small children and other persons unable to swallow them whole. If a full-treatment course with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets does not lead to improvement within 48 to 72 hours, Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should not be used for retreatment. An alternative therapy should be used. Similarly, if previous prophylaxis with mefloquine has failed, Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should not be used for curative treatment. In pediatric patients, the administration of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets for the treatment of malaria has been associated with early vomiting. In some cases, early vomiting has been cited as a possible cause of treatment failure (see PRECAUTIONS ). If a significant loss of drug product is observed or suspected because of vomiting, a second full dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should be administered to patients who vomit less than 30 minutes after receiving the drug. If vomiting occurs 30 to 60 minutes after a dose, an additional half-dose should be given. If vomiting recurs, the patient should be monitored closely and alternative malaria treatment considered if improvement is not observed within a reasonable period of time. The safety and effectiveness of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets to treat malaria in pediatric patients below the age of 6 months have not been established. Malaria Prophylaxis The recommended prophylactic dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets is approximately 5 mg/kg body weight once weekly. One 250 mg Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablet should be taken once weekly in pediatric patients weighing over 45 kg. In pediatric patients weighing less than 45 kg, the weekly dose decreases in proportion to body weight: 30 to 45 kg: 3/4 tablet 20 to 30 kg: 1/2 tablet Experience with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets in pediatric patients weighing less than 20 kg is limited.
Use of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to mefloquine or related compounds (e.g., quinine and quinidine) or to any of the excipients contained in the formulation. Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should not be prescribed for prophylaxis in patients with active depression, a recent history of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, psychosis, or schizophrenia or other major psychiatric disorders, or with a history of convulsions.
Clinical At the doses used for treatment of acute malaria infections, the symptoms possibly attributable to drug administration cannot be distinguished from those symptoms usually attributable to the disease itself. Among subjects who received mefloquine for prophylaxis of malaria, the most frequently observed adverse experience was vomiting (3%). Dizziness, syncope, extrasystoles and other complaints affecting less than 1% were also reported. Among subjects who received mefloquine for treatment, the most frequently observed adverse experiences included: dizziness, myalgia, nausea, fever, headache, vomiting, chills, diarrhea, skin rash, abdominal pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, and tinnitus. Those side effects occurring in less than 1% included bradycardia, hair loss, emotional problems, pruritus, asthenia, transient emotional disturbances and telogen effluvium (loss of resting hair). Seizures have also been reported. Two serious adverse reactions were cardiopulmonary arrest in one patient shortly after ingesting a single prophylactic dose of mefloquine while concomitantly using propranolol (see PRECAUTIONS: Drug Interactions ), and encephalopathy of unknown etiology during prophylactic mefloquine administration. The relationship of encephalopathy to drug administration could not be clearly established. Laboratory The most frequently observed laboratory alterations which could be possibly attributable to drug administration were decreased hematocrit, transient elevation of transaminases, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. These alterations were observed in patients with acute malaria who received treatment doses of the drug and were attributed to the disease itself. During prophylactic administration of mefloquine to indigenous populations in malaria-endemic areas, the following occasional alterations in laboratory values were observed: transient elevation of transaminases, leukocytosis or thrombocytopenia. Because of the long half-life of mefloquine, adverse reactions to Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets may occur or persist up to several weeks after discontinuation of the drug. Postmarketing Postmarketing surveillance indicates that the same kind of adverse experiences are reported during prophylaxis, as well as acute treatment. Because these experiences are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to reliably estimate their frequency or establish a causal relationship to Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets exposure. The most frequently reported adverse events are nausea, vomiting, loose stools or diarrhea, abdominal pain, dizziness or vertigo, loss of balance, and neuropsychiatric events such as headache, somnolence, and sleep disorders (insomnia, abnormal dreams). These are usually mild and may decrease despite continued use. In a small number of patients it has been reported that dizziness or vertigo and loss of balance may continue for months after discontinuation of the drug. Occasionally, more severe neuropsychiatric disorders have been reported such as: sensory and motor neuropathies (including paresthesia, tremor and ataxia), convulsions, agitation or restlessness, anxiety, depression, mood swings, panic attacks, memory impairment, confusion, hallucinations, aggression, psychotic or paranoid reactions and encephalopathy. Rare cases of suicidal ideation and suicide have been reported though no relationship to drug administration has been confirmed. Other less frequently reported adverse events include: Cardiovascular Disorders: circulatory disturbances (hypotension, hypertension, flushing, syncope), chest pain, tachycardia or palpitation, bradycardia, irregular heart rate, extrasystoles, A-V block, and other transient cardiac conduction alterations Skin Disorders: rash, exanthema, erythema, urticaria, pruritus, edema, hair loss, erythema multiforme, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome Musculoskeletal Disorders: muscle weakness, muscle cramps, myalgia, and arthralgia Respiratory Disorders: dyspnea, pneumonitis of possible allergic etiology Hepatobiliary Disorders: drug-related hepatic disorders from asymptomatic transient transaminase elevations to hepatic failure drug-related hepatic disorders from asymptomatic transient transaminase elevations to hepatic failure Blood and Lymphatic System Disorders: agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia Other Symptoms: visual disturbances, vestibular disorders including tinnitus and hearing impairment, asthenia, malaise, fatigue, fever, hyperhidrosis, chills, dyspepsia and loss of appetite To report SUSPECTED ADVERSE REACTIONS, contact West-ward Pharmaceutical Corp. at 1-877-233- 2001, and the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch.
In case of life-threatening, serious or overwhelming malaria infections due to P. falciparum , patients should be treated with an intravenous antimalarial drug. Following completion of intravenous treatment, Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets may be given to complete the course of therapy. Halofantrine should not be administered with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets or within 15 weeks of the last dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets due to the risk of a potentially fatal prolongation of the QTc interval (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY: Pharmacokinetics: Elimination ). Ketoconazole should not be administered with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets or within 15 weeks of the last dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets due to the risk of a potentially fatal prolongation of the QTc interval. Ketoconazole increases plasma concentrations and elimination half-life of mefloquine following co-administration (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY: Pharmacokinetics: Elimination and PRECAUTIONS: Drug Interactions ). Mefloquine may cause psychiatric symptoms in a number of patients, ranging from anxiety, paranoia, and depression to hallucinations and psychotic behavior. On occasions, these symptoms have been reported to continue long after mefloquine has been stopped. Rare cases of suicidal ideation and suicide have been reported though no relationship to drug administration has been confirmed. To minimize the chances of these adverse events, mefloquine should not be taken for prophylaxis in patients with active depression or with a recent history of depression, generalized anxiety disorder, psychosis, or schizophrenia or other major psychiatric disorders. Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should be used with caution in patients with a previous history of depression. During prophylactic use, if psychiatric symptoms such as acute anxiety, depression, restlessness or confusion occur, these may be considered prodromal to a more serious event. In these cases, the drug must be discontinued and an alternative medication should be substituted. Concomitant administration of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets and quinine or quinidine may produce electrocardiographic abnormalities. Concomitant administration of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets and quinine or chloroquine may increase the risk of convulsions.
Drug-drug interactions with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets have not been explored in detail. There is one report of cardiopulmonary arrest, with full recovery, in a patient who was taking a beta blocker (propranolol) (see PRECAUTIONS: Cardiac Effects ). The effects of mefloquine on the compromised cardiovascular system have not been evaluated. The benefits of mefloquine therapy should be weighed against the possibility of adverse effects in patients with cardiac disease. Halofantrine and Other Antimalarials Halofantrine should not be administered with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets or within 15 weeks of the last dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets due to the risk of a potentially fatal prolongation of the QTc interval (see WARNINGS ). Concomitant administration of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets and other related antimalarial compounds (e.g., quinine, quinidine and chloroquine) may produce electrocardiographic abnormalities and increase the risk of convulsions (see WARNINGS ). If these drugs are to be used in the initial treatment of severe malaria, Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets administration should be delayed at least 12 hours after the last dose. Clinically significant QTc prolongation has not been found with mefloquine alone. Ketoconazole (Potent Inhibitor of CYP3A4) Co-administration of a single 500 mg oral dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets with 400 mg of ketoconazole once daily for 10 days in 8 healthy volunteers resulted in an increase in the mean C max and AUC of mefloquine by 64% and 79%, respectively, and an increase in the mean elimination half-life of mefloquine from 322 hours to 448 hours. Ketoconazole should not be administered with Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets or within 15 weeks of the last dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets due to the risk of a potentially fatal prolongation of the QTc interval (see WARNINGS ). Other Drugs that Prolong the QTc Interval Co-administration of other drugs known to alter cardiac conduction (e.g., anti-arrhythmic or beta-adrenergic blocking agents, calcium channel blockers, antihistamines or H1-blocking agents, tricyclic antidepressants and phenothiazines) might also contribute to a prolongation of the QTc interval. There are no data that conclusively establish whether the concomitant administration of mefloquine and the above listed agents has an effect on cardiac function. Anticonvulsants In patients taking an anticonvulsant (e.g., valproic acid, carbamazepine, phenobarbital or phenytoin), the concomitant use of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets may reduce seizure control by lowering the plasma levels of the anticonvulsant. Therefore, patients concurrently taking antiseizure medication and Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should have the blood level of their antiseizure medication monitored and the dosage adjusted appropriately (see PRECAUTIONS ). Vaccines When Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets are taken concurrently with oral live typhoid vaccines, attenuation of immunization cannot be excluded. Vaccinations with attenuated live bacteria should therefore be completed at least 3 days before the first dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets. Rifampin (Potent Inducer of CYP3A4) Co-administration of a single 500 mg oral dose of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets and 600 mg of rifampin once daily for 7 days in 7 healthy Thai volunteers resulted in a decrease in the mean C max and AUC of mefloquine by 19% and 68%, respectively, and a decrease in the mean elimination half-life of mefloquine from 305 hours to 113 hours. Rifampin should be used cautiously in patients taking Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets . Inhibitors and Inducers of CYP3A4 Mefloquine does not inhibit or induce the CYP 450 enzyme system. Thus, concomitant administration of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets and substrates of the CYP 450 enzyme system is not expected to result in a drug interaction. However, mefloquine is metabolized by CYP3A4 and inhibitors of CYP3A4 may modify the pharmacokinetics/metabolism of mefloquine, leading to an increase in mefloquine plasma concentrations and potential risk of adverse reactions. Therefore, Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should be used with caution when administered concomitantly with CYP3A4 inhibitors. Similarly, inducers of CYP3A4 may modify the pharmacokinetics/metabolism of mefloquine, leading to a decrease in mefloquine plasma concentrations and potential reduction in efficacy of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets. Therefore, Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets should also be used with caution when administered concomitantly with CYP3A4 inducers. Substrates and Inhibitors of P-glycoprotein It has been shown in vitro that mefloquine is a substrate and an inhibitor of P-glycoprotein. Therefore, drug-drug interactions could also occur with drugs that are substrates or are known to modify the expression of this transporter. The clinical relevance of these interactions is not known to date. Other Potential Interactions No other drug interactions are known. Nevertheless, the effects of Mefloquine Hydrochloride Tablets on travelers receiving comedication, particularly diabetics or patients using anticoagulants, should be checked before departure. In clinical trials, the concomitant administration of sulfadoxine and pyrimethamine did not alter the adverse reaction profile of mefloquine.