Antimalarial medication multi-drug resistant "P. falciparum". It is a very potent blood schizonticide with a long half-life. It is thought to act by forming toxic heme complexes that damage parasitic food vacuoles. Mefloquine is effective in prophylaxis and for acute therapy. It is now used solely for the prevention of resistant strains of "P. falciparum" (usually combined with Artesunate) despite being effective against "P. vivax", "P. ovale" and "P. marlariae". Chloroquine/proguanil or sulfa drug-pyrimethamine combinations should be used in all other plasmodia infections. The major commercial manufacturer of mefloquine-based malaria treatment is Roche Pharmaceuticals, which markets the drug under the trade name
Mefloquine with an increased risk of birth defects or miscarriages. The drug may be used during breastfeeding, though it appears in breast milk in low concentrations. The World Health Organization gives approval for the use of mefloquine in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy and use in the first trimester does not mandate termination of pregnancy. Mefloquine is metabolized primarily through the liver. Its elimination in persons with impaired liver function may be prolonged, resulting in higher plasma levels and an increased risk of adverse reactions. The mean elimination plasma half-life of mefloquine is between two and four weeks. Total