Publication:

Pharmacokinetics of cefquinome in goats after intramuscular administration alone and with meloxicam

Background Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics are commonly prescribed together. We aimed to study the kinetic profile of cefquinome (2 mg/kg b.wt.) following intramuscular administration of it alone and co-administered with meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg b.wt.) in goats.

Methods Five Egyptian Baladi goats, each goat was injected intramuscularly at the dose rate of 2 mg/kg b.wt. Cefquinome into the deep gluteal muscle of hindquarter alone and then after fifteen days washout period, these animals also injected intramuscularly at the dose rate of 2 mg/kg b.wt. Cefquinome preceded with meloxicam at the dose rate of 0.2 mg/kg b.wt. The serum concentrations of cefquinome were detected by high performance liquid chromatography, two compartment model.

Results Following a single dose intramuscular administration of cefquinome alone, peak plasma concentration (1.71±0.0189 μg/ml) was obtained at 1.59±0.0038 h. The absorption half-life (t1/2ab), total body clearance (Cltot), elimination half-life (t1/2el) and area under curve (area under concentration (AUC(0-inf)) of cefquinome were 0.4±0.0028 h, 0.068±0.78 l/h/kg, 9.21±0.178h and 29.36±0.78 µg.h.ml-1, respectively. Following a single dose intramuscular co-administration of cefquinome and meloxicam, peak plasma concentration (1.60±0.0124 μg/ml) was obtained at 1.49±0.0092 h. The absorption half-life (t1/2ab), total body clearance (Cltot), elimination half-life (t1/2el) and area under curve (AUC(0-inf)) of cefquinome were 0.396±0.006 h, 0.094±0.25 l/h/kg, 6.5±0.221 h and 21.38±0.696 µg/h/ml, respectively. Non significant alters were reported in the parameters following co-administration of Cefquinome with meloxicam.

Conclusions From our results, may be concluded that intramuscular administration of meloxicam may be successfully co-administrated with cefquinome for combating bacterial infections with an inflammatory condition in goats without any antagonistic effect.