Plasma antimony determination during cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment with intralesional infiltration of meglumine antimoniate.

Objectives: To evaluate the antimony (Sb) in plasma of patients who underwent a standardised meglumine antimoniate (MA) intralesional infiltration protocol for cutaneous leishmaniasis treatment.

Methods: The level of Sb in plasma was determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy, before and 1, 2, 4 and 6 hours after the first intralesional infiltration of MA to determine the parameters peak concentrations (C ) area under curve of drug concentration in plasma from zero to 6 h (AUC ) and elimination half-life (t½) of Sb. Blood samples were also collected weekly during the treatment period, always before infiltration.