Eprinomectin in dairy zebu Gobra cattle (Bos indicus): plasma kinetics and excretion in milk.

The pharmacokinetics and mammary excretion of eprinomectin were determined in zebu Gobra following topical administration of 0.5 mg kg(-1). The kinetics of plasma and milk was analysed using a one-compartment model. The maximum plasma concentration of 8.83+/-2.15 ng ml(-1) occurred 1.30 days post-administration. The area under the plasma concentration-time curve was 30.63+/-5.56 ng day(-1) ml(-1) and the mean residence time was 3.38+/-0.60 days. Eprinomectin was detected in milk at the first sampling time and thereafter for at least 8 days. The systemic availability of eprinomectin was significantly lower than that for other breeds of cattle. Comparison of the milk and plasma data demonstrated the parallel disposition of the drug in the milk and plasma with a milk/plasma ratio of 0.094. The very low extent of mammary excretion supports the permitted use of eprinomectin in lactating zebu Gobra.

Pharmacokinetics of ivermectin in zebu Gobra (Bos indicus).

Plasma disposition kinetics of ivermectin was evaluated in a West African cattle breed. Five clinically healthy zebu Gobra cattle (Bos indicus) weighing 220-270 kg were treated (0.2 mg kg-1) with a commercially available ivermectin formulation for cattle. Blood samples were collected by jugular puncture at different times between 0.5 h and 40 days post-treatment. After plasma extraction and derivatization, samples were analysed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Ivermectin was detected in plasma between 30 min and 20 days post-treatment. The observed peak plasma concentration (Cmax) was 46.3+/-13.8 ng ml-1 and the time to reach Cmax (t(max)) was 0.9+/-0.2 day. The values for the absorption half-life (t1/2ab) and the elimination half-life (t1/2el) were 0.3+/-0.2 and 2.8+/-0.7 days, respectively. The calculated area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) was 185.2+/-12.1 ng day ml-1 and the mean residence time (MRT) was 4.2+/-1.3 days. The availability of ivermectin is low in zebu Gobra in comparison to other breeds cattle but equivalent to that reported in the yak and is likely to be due to physiological characteristics of this breed.