ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: Drug overdose and poisoning are common clinical problems and could occur with the fluoroquinolones -a new series of synthetic antimicrobial agents. It therefore becomes important to study the adsorption of the fluoroquinolones on pharmaceutical adsorbents which could serve as possible antidotes for the emergency treatment of fluoroquinolone overdose or poisoning when they occur. METHOD: The rate and extent of adsorption of the fluoroquinolones on some pharmaceutical adsorbents; namely activated charcoal; kaolin and bentonite were investigated spectrophotometrically RESULTS: The fluoroquinolones adsorbed on activated charcoal rapidly and attained equilibrium within fifteen minutes. The fluoroquinolones however adsorbed on kaolin and bentonite less rapidly and attained equilibrium within two hours. Activated charcoal and bentonite had high adsorption capacities for the fluoroquinolones while kaolin had low adsorption capacities for them. CONCLUSION: Because of the rapid rate of adsorption and high binding capacities exhibited by activated charcoal for the fluoroquinolones; it could be an effective antidote for the fluoroquinolones in cases of overdose or poisoning. Activated charcoal has shown a superior behaviour to both bentonite and kaolin in the adsorption of the fluoroquinolones