Pharmacokinetics of two paediatric artesunate mefloquine drug formulations in the treatment of uncomplicated falciparum malaria in Gabon.

Objectives: Paediatric drug formulations of artemisinin combination therapies and pharmacokinetic data supporting their use in African children are urgently needed for the effective treatment of young children suffering from falciparum malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.

Patients And Methods: In this study, the pharmacokinetic characteristics of a novel paediatric granule formulation of artesunate-mefloquine therapy were evaluated in comparison to the standard tablet formulation in the treatment of uncomplicated malaria in paediatric patients. Twenty-four patients were assigned to treatment according to body weight with either a fixed-dose paediatric granule co-formulation (10-20 kg body weight) or a free-dose co-blister tablet formulation of artesunate-mefloquine (>20-40 kg body weight).

Comparative efficacy and tolerability of two sustained-release formulations of diclofenac: results of a double-blind, randomised study in patients with osteoarthritis and a reappraisal of diclofenac's use in this patient population.

Objective: To compare the analgesic efficacy and tolerability of a sustained-release pellet formulation of diclofenac (Olfen-100 SR Depocaps, SR-CAP, Mepha Ltd, Aesch, Switzerland) with the standard reference formulation (Voltaren retard 100, SR-TAB, Novartis Pharma AG, Basel, Switzerland), both containing 100 mg diclofenac sodium, in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and/or hip. In addition, diclofenac's current place in the symptomatic therapy of OA is briefly reviewed.

Methods: In this 2-week double-blind, active-controlled, non-inferiority trial, 210 OA patients were randomised to receive either SR-CAP once daily or SR-TAB once daily (n = 105 for both groups).

Assessment of the effect of mefloquine on artesunate pharmacokinetics in healthy male volunteers.

The effect of mefloquine on artesunate pharmacokinetics was assessed in 20 volunteers given artesunate for 3 days, followed > or =21 days later by combination therapy for 3 days. The areas under the concentration-time curve from 0 h to infinity for dihydroartemisinin, the active metabolite of artesunate, were similar on day 3 of the two dosing periods (P = 0.12), implying no interaction.

Determination of the transdermal bioavailability of a newly developed diclofenac sodium patch in comparison with a reference preparation.

Two different transdermal diclofenac (CAS 15307-86-5) formulations (Olfen Patch 140 mg diclofenac sodium as test preparation and 180 mg diclofenac epolamine plaster, equivalent to 140 mg diclofenac sodium, as reference preparation) were investigated in 24 healthy male and female volunteers in order to compare the transdermal bioavailability between both treatments following topical multiple dose administration. Subjects were applied 2 plasters of test and reference formulation at a dose interval of 12 h for 4 consecutive days. Test and reference preparation were administered in randomised sequence at a marked spot at the left upper arm under non-fasting conditions.