Jae Bum Cho

Depletion of praziquantel in muscle tissue and skin of cultured rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) under the commercial culture conditions

Depletion of praziquantel in muscle tissue and skin of cultured rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli) under the commercial net-pen farm conditions was analyzed. The levels of praziquantel were determined after the administration of three doses of either praziquantel 200 or 400 mg/kg of body weight (bw) given at 24-h intervals. Fish were collected daily following last drug administration and analyzed for praziquantel in muscle tissue and skin by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) using diazepam as an internal standard. In the group of fish fed 200 mg of praziquantel/kg bw, praziquantel was detected in muscle tissue until 1 day and in skin until 3 days post treatment. Following treatment with 400 mg of praziquantel/kg bw, praziquantel was found in muscle tissue and skin until 5 and 6 days post treatment, respectively. In both muscle tissue and skin, the praziquantel concentrations were consistently declined with the lapse of time.