Feeding 25 mg dose of clofazimine daily to a 2 year baby

Leprosy Mailing List – May 10^th , 2010

Ref.: Feeding 25 mg dose of clofazimine daily to a 2 year baby
From: H K Kar, New Delhi , India

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Dear Dr Saba,

I refer to your message dated May 9^th, 2010. Your problem of feeding 25 mg dose of clofazimine daily to a 2 year baby is a genuine concern due to non availability of 25mg capsule as well as liquid preparation. The drug is not water-soluble, hence micronised crystals are suspended in an oil-max base and encapsulated in soft gelatin for oral administration. The absorption in this form is even only 30% to 50%.

As suggested by other LML members, you can feed 50 mg weekly twice. The soft gelatine capsule can be punctured and the oil-wax based clofazimine can be expressed from the capsule into a half teaspoon full of honey which can easily be fed to the baby twice a week, same way the monthly pulse dose also.

Regards,

Dr (Prof.) H K Kar
Consultant & HOD
Department of Dermatology, STD & Leprosy
P.G.I.M.E.R. and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital
Baba Kharag Singh Marg
New Delhi-110001