Preliminary treatment using mefloquine to treat feline infectious peritonitis

The pharmacokinetic profile of mefloquine was investigated as a preliminary study towards a potential treatment for feline coronavirus infections (such as feline infectious peritonitis) or feline calicivirus infections.

Mefloquine was administered at 62.5 mg orally to seven clinically healthy cats twice weekly for four doses and mefloquine plasma concentrations over 336 hours were measured using high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC).

The peak plasma concentration (Cmax) after a single oral dose of mefloquine was 2.71 ug/mL, the time to reach peak plasma concentration (Tmax) was 15 hours, and thhe elimination half-life was 224 hours. The plasma concentration reached a higher levels when mefloquine was given with food.

Adverse effects of dosing included vomiting following administration without food in some cats. Mild increases in serum symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), but not creatinine, concentrations were observed. This study found that mefloquine may provide a safe effective treatment for feline coronavirus and feline calicivirus infections in cats.

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Preliminary treatment using mefloquine to treat feline infectious peritonitis