Table 2.

Median (range) and mean (95% CI)^a–^d pharmacokinetic variables after oral administration of artesunate and artemether on the 1st and 2nd day. Bioassay in DHA equivalents, except molar dose. Abbreviations as in Table 1.

Variable	Artesunate			Artemether
	Day 1	Day 2	P	Day 1	Day 2	P
Dose (nmol kg−1 body weight)	10 272 (10 026–10518)	10 806 (10 085–11 527)a	0.2	13 922 (12 994–14 850)	13 234 (12 917–13 551)b	0.2
tlag (h)	0.25 (0.25–0.25)	0.25 (0.25–0.25)	1.0	0.25 (0.25–0.25)	0.50 (0.25–1.50)	0.03
tmax (h)	2.00 (0.50–4.00)	1.13 (0.50–4.00)	0.5	1.0 (0.75–4.00)	2.00 (1.00–6.00)	0.2
Cmax (nmol l−1)	5118 (3178–8359)	16 998 (4791–24 633)	0.08	3091 (909–4663)	3454 (1480–4339)	0.9
t½ (h)	0.75 (0.49–2.30)	2.59 (0.55–4.71)	0.2	3.34 (1.30–5.44)	2.05 (1.22–4.32)	0.2
AUC(0,∞) (nmol l−1 h)	14 184 (10 336–18 032)	23 551 (15 764–31 338)c	0.06	9274 (6370–12 178)	12 984 (10 400–15 568)d	0.09
Vz/F (l kg−1)	0.78 (0.52–3.15)	1.94 (0.34–5.59)	0.7	9.46 (3.80–13.85)	2.84 (1.73–6.40)	0.017
CL/F (l kg −1 h−1)	0.72 (0.49–1.57)	0.43 (0.27–1.00)	0.2	1.72 (0.79–2.55)	1.08 (0.69–1.38)	0.1
MRT (h)	2.71 (1.52–5.11)	2.34 (1.18–4.39)	0.8	3.65 (0.58–6.31)	4.29 (2.96–6.89)	0.5

Difference between means (95% CI):

^a534 (145, 923)

^b688 (187, 1189) nmol kg⁻¹ body weight

^c9367 (4935–13799)

^d3710 (1726–5694) nmol l⁻¹ h.