Meglumine antimoniate description

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Pentavalent antimony compounds with leishmanicidal activity, but which are not effective against free flagellated forms in vitro. It is uncertain whether they have selective activity against intracellular forms, or whether small amounts are converted intracellularly into a potent trivalent inhibitor of the parasite’s glycolytic enzymes.

Since they are poorly absorbed and highly irritant to the gastrointestinal tract they must be administered parenterally or by local injection. Over 80% of the dose is excreted unchanged in the urine within 6 hours.^[1]

Adapted from the FDA Package Insert.