María Fabiana Landoni

Pharmacokinetics and skin concentrations of lincomycin after intravenous and oral administration to cats.

The aim of the present study was to describe the plasma pharmacokinetic profile and skin concentrations of lincomycin after intravenous administration of a 15% solution and oral administration of 300 mg tablets at a dosing rate of 15 mg/kg to cats. Susceptibility of staphylococci (n = 31) and streptococci (n = 23) strains isolated from clinical cases was also determined. Lincomycin plasma and skin concentrations were determined by microbiological assay using Kocuria rhizophila ATCC 9341 as test microorganism. Susceptibility was established by the antimicrobial disc diffusion test. Individual lincomycin plasma concentration-time curves were analysed by a non-compartmental approach. After intravenous administration, volume of distribution, body clearance and elimination half-life were 0.97 L/kg ± 0.15 L/kg, 0.17 L/kg ± 0.06 L/h.kg and 4.20 h ± 1.12 h, respectively. After oral administration, peak plasma concentration, time of maximum plasma concentration and bioavailability were 22.52 µg/mL ± 10.97 µg/mL, 0.80 h ± 0.11 h and 81.78% ± 24.05%, respectively. Two hours after lincomycin administration, skin concentrations were 17.26 µg/mL ± 1.32 µg/mL (intravenous) and 16.58 µg/mL ± 0.90 µg/mL (oral). The corresponding skin: plasma ratios were 2.08 ± 0.47 (intravenous) and 1.84 ± 0.97 (oral). The majority of staphylococci and streptococci tested in this study were susceptible to lincosamides (87.09% and 69.56%, respectively). In conclusion, lincomycin administered orally at the assayed dose showed a good pharmacokinetic profile, with a long elimination half-life and effective skin concentration. Therefore, it could be a good first option for treating skin infections in cats.

Pharmacokinetics of meropenem after intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous administration to cats

Objectives The aim of the study was to describe the pharmacokinetics and predicted efficacy of meropenem after intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) administration to cats at a single dose of 10 mg/kg. Methods Five adult healthy cats were used. Blood samples were withdrawn at predetermined times over a 12 h period. Meropenem concentrations were determined by microbiological assay. Pharmacokinetic analyses were performed with computer software. Initial estimates were determined using the residual method and refitted by non-linear regression. The time that plasma concentrations were greater than the minimum inhibitory concentration (T >MIC) was estimated by applying bibliographic MIC values and meropenem MIC breakpoint. Results Maximum plasma concentrations of meropenem were 101.02 µg/ml (Cp(0), IV), 27.21 µg/ml (Cmax, IM) and 15.57 µg/ml (Cmax, SC). Bioavailability was 99.69% (IM) and 96.52 % (SC). Elimination half-lives for the IV, IM and SC administration were 1.35, 2.10 and 2.26 h, respectively. Conclusions and relevance Meropenem, when administered to cats at a dose of 10 mg/kg q12h,, is effective against bacteria with MIC values of 6 μg/ml, 7 μg/ml and 10 μg/ml for IV, IM and SC administration, respectively. However, clinical trials are necessary to confirm clinical efficacy of the proposed dosage regimen.

Efficacy of intramuscular polysulfated glycosaminoglycan in a controlled study of equine carpitis

Twelve healthy horses were subject to the monoioidoacetate (MIA) carpitis model, which was allowed to develop for 7 days. The horses were then randomly divided into two groups. Group A (control) received an intramuscular injection of normal saline every 4 days for a total of seven injections while group B received 500 mg of a PSGAG (SYNTEX CSY36) intramuscularly every 4 days for seven treatments. Efficacy of the PSGAG was evaluated by three clinical outcomes: lameness score, carpal circumference and maximum carpal flexion. Clinical outcomes were measured on days -8 (previous to carpitis induction), 0 (previous to drug treatment), 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35. Areas under the curve clinical outcome as function of time were built and used as variables for the statistical analysis. There was less joint circumference enlargement and lameness and greater carpal flexion in PSGAG-treated horses compared with that in controls. The studied compound has demonstrated to be efficacious on the treatment of a chemically induced carpitis in horses.

Pharmacokinetics of levofloxacin after single intravenous, oral and subcutaneous administration to dogs

The pharmacokinetic properties of the fluoroquinolone levofloxacin (LFX) were investigated in six dogs after single intravenous, oral and subcutaneous administration at a dose of 2.5, 5 and 5xa0mg/kg, respectively. After intravenous administration, distribution was rapid (T½dist 0.127xa0±xa00.055xa0hr) and wide as reflected by the volume of distribution of 1.20xa0±xa00.13xa0L/kg. Drug elimination was relatively slow with a total body clearance of 0.11xa0±xa00.03xa0Lxa0kg-1 xa0hr-1 and a T½ for this process of 7.85xa0±xa02.30xa0hr. After oral and subcutaneous administration, absorption half-life and Tmax were 0.35 and 0.80xa0hr and 1.82 and 2.82xa0hr, respectively. The bioavailability was significantly higher (pxa0˂xa00.05) after subcutaneous than oral administration (79.90 vs. 60.94%). No statistically significant differences were observed between other pharmacokinetic parameters. Considering the AUC24xa0hr /MIC and Cmax /MIC ratios obtained, it can be concluded that LFX administered intravenously (2.5xa0mg/kg), subcutaneously (5xa0mg/kg) or orally (5xa0mg/kg) is efficacious against Gram-negative bacteria with MIC values of 0.1xa0μg/ml. For Gram-positive bacteria with MIC values of 0.5xa0μg/kg, only SC and PO administration at a dosage of 5xa0mg/kg showed to be efficacious. MIC-based PK/PD analysis by Monte Carlo simulation indicates that the proposed dose regimens of LFX, 5 and 7.5xa0mg/kg/24xa0hr by SC route and 10xa0mg/kg/24xa0hr by oral route, in dogs may be adequate to recommend as an empirical therapy against S.xa0aureus strains with MICxa0≤xa00.5xa0μg/ml and E.xa0coli strains with MIC values ≤0.125xa0μg/ml.

Cefazolin pharmacokinetics in cats under surgical conditions

Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the plasma pharmacokinetic profile, tissue concentrations and urine elimination of cefazolin in cats under surgical conditions after a single intravenous dose of 20 mg/kg. Methods Intravenous cefazolin (20 mg/kg) was administered to nine young mixed-breed cats 30 mins before they underwent surgical procedures (ovariectomy or orchiectomy). After antibiotic administration, samples from blood, some tissues and urine were taken. Cefazolin concentrations were determined in all biological matrices and pharmacokinetic parameters were estimated. Results Initial plasma concentrations were high (Cp(0), 134.80 ± 40.54 µg/ml), with fast and moderately wide distribution (distribution half-life [t½(d)] 0.16 ± 0.15 h; volume of distribution at steady state [V(d[ss])] 0.29 ± 0.10 l/kg) and rapid elimination (body clearance [ClB], 0.21 ± 0.06 l/h/kg; elimination half-life [t½], 1.18 ± 0.27 h; mean residence time 1.42 ± 0.36 h). Thirty to 60 mins after intravenous administration, cefazolin tissue concentrations ranged from 9.24 µg/ml (subcutaneous tissue) to 26.44 µg/ml (ovary). The tissue/plasma concentration ratio ranged from 0.18 (muscle) to 0.58 (ovary). Cefazolin urine concentrations were high with 84.2% of the administered dose being eliminated in the first 6 h postadministration. Conclusions and relevance Cefazolin plasma concentrations remained above a minimum inhibitory concentration of ⩽2 µg/ml up to 4 h in all the studied cats. This suggests that a single intravenous dose of 20 mg/kg cefazolin would be adequate for perioperative prophylactic use in cats.