INTERACTION BETWEEN CHLOROQUINE SULPHATE AND COCONUT FRUIT WATER IN ADULT MALE RABBITS.

Inconsistent scientific reports have trailed the use of coconut fruit water in inhibiting the effect of poisons, including its use in the immediate therapeutic management of drug over-dosagein both humans and animal studies. The study investigated the possible interaction of the concomitant administration of chloroquine sulphate and coconut fruit water in adult male rabbits. Two groups of rabbits (five each) were used in the experiment, and both served as test and control groups respectively. The control group received chloroquine sulphate only while in the test group, chloroquine sulphate and coconut fruit water were co-administered to mature adult male rabbits. The pharmacokinetic profile of both the control and the test groups were determined spectrophotometrically using centrifuged blood samples of the animals at different time intervals. The result of the experiment demonstrated a significant decrease in the mean plasma concentration, peak serum concentration and the volume of distribution in the test group. There was no significant difference in the time to peak plasma concentration in the test and control groups, but there was a significant decrease in the biological half-life of chloroquine sulphate in the test group. The mean serum concentration of chloroquine sulphate in the test group was decreased by 53.89 mg% relative to the control group, while the maximum serum concentration of chloroquine sulphate in the test group was decreased by 31.67 mg%. The result also, demonstrated an increase in the clearance rate, absorption rate constant and the elimination rate constant in the test group. The study, therefore, concluded that there is a strong in vivo pharmacokinetic interaction between chloroquine sulphate and coconut fruit water, and this affects bioavailability, thus decreasing the mean plasma concentration of chloroquine sulphate.