Comparative pharmacokinetics of ivermectin alone and a novel formulation of ivermectin and rafoxanide in calves and sheep.

This study investigated the comparative serum disposition kinetics of ivermectin (IVM) after a single subcutaneous dose of 200 microg/kg body weight of IVM alone or in combination with an anthelmintic consisting of ivermectin and rafoxanide (200 microg/kg of IVM and 2.5 mg/kg rafoxanide) for use in calves and sheep. The IVM concentrations in serum samples were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. In sheep serum, rafoxanide induced a rapid absorption of IVM when given in combined form manifested by a shorter absorption half-life time of IVM by 68.49% when given in combination as compared with IVM when given alone. In addition, there is an increase in the value of the area under the concentration curve (AUC) by 15.48% while the value of elimination rate constant was decreased by 38.2% and significantly increased the half-life time of elimination from 2.04 days for IVM alone to 3.3 days when given in combination with rafoxanide. In calves serum, the mean t1/2ab for IVM/rafoxanide was 0.131 days and for the control formulation 0.16 days, and t1/2el was 5.78 and 4.95, respectively. IVM Cmax for IVM/rafoxanide was 22.4 ng/ml and for the control formulation 19.1 ng/ml. T (max) values were 0.99 and 1.12 days, and the mean AUC values were 188.9 and 165.4 ng/ml/day. The difference in Cmax, AUC, Kab, K el, and t1/2el was significant. However, there was no statistical difference between the Tmax and t1/2ab. These findings revealed that the combination of rafoxanide with IVM in sheep and calves increased the absorption of IVM and delayed its elimination.

A dual anthelmintic treatment strategic scheme for the control of fasciolosis in dairy sheep farms.

A clinical longitudinal field trial was conducted on a dairy sheep farm in southern Italy to assess the effectiveness of a novel anthelmintic treatment strategic scheme against Fasciola hepatica. The scheme utilizes a dual anthelmintic treatment (DAT), i.e., the use of either one of two different anthelmintics on the flock, albendazole sulphoxide (SO) at 1-month intervals and rafoxanide at 2-month intervals, administered to the lactating and non-lactating animals, respectively. The DAT strategic scheme lasted 3 years. In Year 1 and Year 2, shotgun monthly DATs for 5 consecutive months (July, August, September, October, and November) were performed on the flock. In Year 3 there was only one monthly DAT, in July. Overall, the DAT scheme reduced the prevalence of F. hepatica infection by 94.4% (from an average prevalence of 71.1% during the pre-DAT period to an average prevalence of 4.0% during Year 3), and the eggs/gram of faeces (EPG) from 29.3 to 1.3. In conclusion, the DAT strategic scheme reported in the present study successfully reduced both the prevalence and EPGs of F. hepatica to a level at which there were no longer any clinical symptoms of the disease. This scheme did not influence the albendazole SO efficacy against GI nematodes and might be used for the treatment of fasciolosis in dairy sheep farms.

The Hymenolepis diminuta-golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) model for the evaluation of gastrointestinal anticestode activity.

A novel laboratory anticestode assay was developed using Hymenolepis diminuta in the hamster. The commercial anticestode compounds, praziquantel, bunamidine, and niclosamide were active against patent infections of Hymenolepis diminuta in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) when given orally at 3.125, 100, and 200 mg/kg, respectively. The gastrointestinal nematode anthelmintics, cambendazole and mebendazole, were active at 50 mg/kg. Rafoxanide (fasciolicide) was active at 25 mg/kg, the lowest level tested. The coccidiostat, nicarbazin, was active at experimental levels (800 mg/kg and up). The anthelmintic-ectoparasiticide (endectocide), ivermectin, was inactive against the tapeworm at 0.5 mg/kg, as expected.

Relative bioavailability of rafoxanide following intraruminal and intra-abomasal administration in sheep.

The bioavailability of rafoxanide was compared after intraruminal and intra-abomasal administration in healthy adult sheep (n = 6) in a single dose, 2 parallel group study at 7.5 mg/kg. Rafoxanide concentrations in plasma were measured by means of HPLC analysis. Primary pharmacokinetic parameters for bioavailability and disposition of rafoxanide in plasma for both routes of administration were determined by non-compartmental and non-linear, 1-compartmental pharmacokinetic analysis, respectively. Significantly (P < or = 0.05) higher peak plasma concentrations (c(max)) of rafoxanide and a more rapid rate of absorption (c. 3.5 times) was observed in sheep after intra-abomasal (i-a) administration compared to intraruminal (i.r.) administration. A significantly (P < or = 0.05) longer lag period (t(lag)) before absorption (6.8 +/- 2.9 h) occurred after i.r. than after i-a treatment (1.9 +/- 0.6 h). There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in AUC, MRT and in the rates of elimination (k10-HL and t(1/2beta)) between the i.r. and i-a routes of administration. The results of the study demonstrated the important influence of the rumino-reticulum on absorption of rafoxanide in sheep.

Differences in the oral bioavailability of three rafoxanide formulations in sheep.

The bioavailability of a modified rafoxanide oral suspension was compared to the original innovator product and a generic formulation in a single dose, randomised, parallel design study in sheep (n = 30). The area under the rafoxanide plasma concentration versus time curve (AUC), AUC extrapolated to infinity, and maximum plasma rafoxanide concentrations (Cmax), were used to compare the extent of absorption of the formulations. All 3 parameters were significantly (p < or = 0.01) smaller for both the modified and generic formulations relative to the original product. There were no significant (p > 0.05) differences between the modified and generic formulations. The mean point ratio % of the modified to original and modified to generic formulations for the 3 parameters were 36.4%, 35%, 45.9% and 70.9%, 70%, 79.7%, respectively. In terms of the calculated 90% confidence t-intervals of the mean % ratios, the modified and generic formulations were not bioequivalent to the original product, since they were substantially below the accepted range of 80-125%. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were noted for the time to Cmax and Cmax/AUC, both measurements of rate of absorption. A lag period before absorption of rafoxanide for all formulations of c 5 h was observed. The differences in oral bioavailability of rafoxanide and related anthelmintic formulations have implications for the efficacy and registration of generic products.

The efficacy of triclabendazole and other anthelmintics against Fasciola hepatica in controlled studies in cattle.

In eight controlled tests 274 cattle were used to assess the efficacies of triclabendazole, albendazole, clorsulon, nitroxynil, oxyclozanide and rafoxanide against Fasciola hepatica. Against one-, two- and four-week-old early immature fluke the mean efficacies of triclabendazole given orally at 12 mg/kg were 88.1, 95.3 and 90.7 per cent, respectively. Clorsulon, nitroxynil and rafoxanide administered at recommended dose rates showed negligible activity against these stages of the parasite. Against six- and eight-week-old infections the mean efficacies of triclabendazole at 12 mg/kg were 87.5 per cent and 95.7 per cent, respectively. Against F hepatica aged six weeks, albendazole and oxyclozanide showed no activity and clorsulon, nitroxynil and rafoxanide had only slight to moderate activity. The efficacies of triclabendazole, clorsulon, nitroxynil and rafoxanide against 10- or 12-week-old parasites were 100, 99.0, 99.1 and 90.1 per cent, respectively. Albendazole and oxyclozanide showed poor efficacy against 12-week-old infections.

The use of injectable rafoxanide against natural ovine nasal myiasis.

Rafoxanide (Flukanide), 7.5 mg kg-1 b.w. was administered to a group of 17 sheep naturally infected with Oestrus ovis larvae. A similar untreated control group was simultaneously observed for changes in clinical signs and body weights. Three animals from each group were slaughtered and examined for the presence of larval instars of O. ovis. While no larvae were recovered from the treated group, a total of 26 larvae, predominantly first and third instars, were recovered from nasal sinuses of the untreated group. There was clinical recovery and additional weight gain (+3.52 kg) after 2 months in the treated animals and a noticeable clinical deterioration of the untreated animals. The effect of the drug lasted for greater than 25 days.

Further studies in the control of ovine fascioliasis by strategic dosing.

Three hill sheep flocks were used to study the effect of the strategic use of rafoxanide to kill liver flukes before they attained the adult egg-laying stage. The programme ran from 1973 to 1976. In November 1976 the programme was stopped in one flock but was continued in the other two, which were subsequently merged. The results of frequent whole flock monitoring since 1976, described here, showed that in both flocks the level of infection, as judged by the examination of faeces for the presence of Fasciola hepatica eggs, remained at a very low level. It is postulated that the adoption of a strategic dosing programme over a period of three to four years would limit egg deposition on pastures close to eradication levels and that several years without needing to use anthelmintics against liver flukes would ensue.

Trials with rafoxanide. 8. Efficacy of an injectable solution against trematodes and nematodes in cattle.

Four experiments are described in which the efficacy of an experimental 5% injectable solution of rafoxanide was evaluated against various adult and immature helminths in cattle. Subcutaneous injection at a dosage of 3 mg/kg live mass resulted in the following reductions in mean worm burdens: adult Fasciola hepatica, 82,6%; adult Fasciola gigantica, 99,8% immature Paramphistomum microbothrium, 10,1% adult Haemonchus placei, 99,6%, third stage H. placei, 73,7%; adult Bunostomum phlebotomum, 99,8%; adult Oesophagostomum radiatum, 99,9%; and fourth stage O. radiatum, 76,9%. At 5 mg/kg live mass, rafoxanide solution was 97,5% and 99,2% effective against 8-week old F. gigantica and third stage H. placei respectively and at 7,5 mg/kg, 92,4% against 6-week old F. gigantica.

The efficiency of clioxanide and rafoxanide against Fasciola hepatica in sheep by different routes of administration.

Groups of sheep were infected with 100 viable metacercariae of Fasciola hepatica. The efficiencies of clioxanide and rafoxanide were evaluated against infections aged 6 and 12 weeks, by using 3 dose rates of each compound by each of 3 routes of administration. Clioxanide, at 40 mg/kg, administered orally and intra-ruminally against 6-week-old liver fluke was 85 and 90% efficient respectively. At 80 mg/kg intra-abomasally its efficiency was 43%. Clioxanide at 20 mg/kg was 96% efficient against 12-week-old liver fluke when given orally or intra-ruminally and 82% efficient when given intra-abomasally. Because of its lower efficiency intra-abomasally, clioxanide may be unsatisfactory in a proportion of sheep, for use against immature liver fluke at a dose rate of 40 mg/kg. It may be expected to give a moderate to high efficiency against mature infections at 20 mg/kg.