Abstract
Simple SummaryIn searching for antiviral agents against feline coronaviruses and feline caliciviruses, mefloquine, a human anti-malarial drug, has been demonstrated to reduce viral load of feline coronaviruses and feline calicivirus in infected cells. In this study, mefloquine was administered orally to seven clinically healthy cats twice weekly for four doses and mefloquine concentrations in blood were measured to investigate the pharmacokinetic profile—the movement of drug in the body. The maximum blood concentration of mefloquine was 2.71 ug/mL and was reached 15 h after a single oral dose was administered. Mefloquine side effects included vomiting following administration without food in some cats, and mild increases in symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), an early kidney biomarker. This study provides valuable information on mefloquine’s profile in cats as an introductory step towards investigating it as a potential treatment for feline coronavirus and feline calicivirus infection in cats. 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 h 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 and time to reach Cmax (Tmax) was 15 h. The elimination half-life was 224 h. The plasma concentration reached a higher level at 4.06 ug/mL when mefloquine was administered 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. Mefloquine may provide a safe effective treatment for feline coronavirus and feline calicivirus infections in cats.
Highlights
Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is an alpha coronavirus which occurs in two distinct pathotypes that can be distinguished by their biological behaviour, but not by their morphology [1]
The two pathotypes belong to the same virus species, different names have been used—feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)
Animals 2020, 10, 1000 immune-mediated disease induced by virulent biotypes of FCoV known as feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) in domestic and wild cats
Summary
Feline coronavirus (FCoV) is an alpha coronavirus which occurs in two distinct pathotypes that can be distinguished by their biological behaviour, but not by their morphology [1]. The two pathotypes belong to the same virus species, different names have been used—feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) and feline infectious peritonitis (FIP). FIP is a fatal, Animals 2020, 10, 1000; doi:10.3390/ani10061000 www.mdpi.com/journal/animals. Animals 2020, 10, 1000 immune-mediated disease induced by virulent biotypes of FCoV known as feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV) in domestic and wild cats. Once cats with FIP show clinical signs, the median life expectancy ranges from days to weeks for the effusive form, and weeks to months for the non-effusive form [3,4,5,6]. There are a small number of cats who may survive for several years [7,8]
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