RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The study was conducted in New Halfa teaching hospital, eastern Sudan to investigate the pharmacokinetics of quinine in pregnant Sudanese women. METHODS: Sixteen (eight pregnant and eight non-pregnant) Sudanese women infected with Plasmodium falciparum malaria were given a single dose of quinine hydrochloride (10 mg/kg body weight) as intravenous infusion over 2 h. The women were treated with intramuscular artemether. Plasma was collected before quinine administration and up to 72 h thereafter. These were analysed for quinine and its metabolites, 3-hydroxyquinine, (10R)-10,11-dihydroxyquinine and (10S)-10,11-dihydroxyquinine using high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS: The two groups were well matched in their basic characteristics. There was no significant difference in the mean maximum plasma concentration attained (C(max)), the mean time at which C(max) was attained, the elimination half-life (t(1/2)) and the total area under the plasma concentration vs. time curve (AUC) of quinine and its metabolites between the pregnant in non-pregnant women. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in quinine metabolism between pregnant and non-pregnant women and there is no need to adjust quinine dose when treating pregnant women.