Eflornithine Injectable: Dosing and Precautions
Injectable eflornithine guidance for meningoencephalitic African trypanosomiasis due to T.b. gambiense.
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Source reviewed
October 2024
Guide category
Injectable drugs
Safety boundary
Prescription medicine information for clinician-guided use.
Kenza Health Hub presents this medicine page as structured health education. Check dose, route, interactions, pregnancy or breast-feeding considerations, and local protocol with a qualified clinician or pharmacist. Read our medical editorial policy.
Therapeutic action
Trypanocide.
Indications
Meningoencephalitic stage of African trypanosomiasis due to T.b. gambiense, in combination with nifurtimox as first choice treatment or in monotherapy if nifurtimox is not available or is contra-indicated.
Forms and strengths, route of administration
- 10 g in 50 ml ampoule, 200 mg/ml, to be diluted in a 250 ml bag of water for injection or, if not available, 0.9% sodium chloride, for IV infusion over 2 hours.
Dose and duration
In combination with nifurtimox
- Child and adult: 200 mg/kg every 12 hours for 7 days.
In monotherapy
- Child under 12 years: 150 mg/kg every 6 hours for 14 days.
- Child 12 years and over and adult: 100 mg/kg every 6 hours for 14 days.
Contra-indications, adverse effects, precautions
- May cause haematological disorders, gastrointestinal disturbances, seizures, tremor, fever, deep tissue infection, headache, alopecia, and dizziness.
- The catheter must be handled with great attention to avoid local or general bacterial superinfections.
- Pregnancy: contraindicated unless, due to the mother’s general condition, treatment cannot be delayed until after delivery.
- Diluted solution must be kept refrigerated and used within 24 hours.
Source
MSF Essential drugs practical guidelines (January 2026)
This page combines source-derived medicine reference sections with Kenza editorial context, while leaving out the Storage and Remarks sections from the source batch.
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