A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed for midazolam in the chicken and extended to three other species. Physiological parameters included organ weights obtained from 10 birds of each species and blood flows obtained from the literature. Partition coefficients for midazolam in tissues vs. plasma were estimated from drug residue data obtained at slaughter. The avian models include separate compartments for venous plasma, liver, kidney, muscle, fat and all other tissues. An estimate of total body clearance from an earlier in vitro study was used as a starting value in the model, assuming almost complete removal of the parent compound by liver metabolism. The model was optimized for the chicken with plasma and tissue data from a pharmacokinetic study after intravenous midazolam (5 mg/kg) dose. To determine which parameters had the most influence on the goodness of fit, a sensitivity analysis was performed. The optimized chicken model was then modified for the turkey, pheasant and quail. The models were validated with midazolam plasma and tissue residue data in the turkey, pheasant and quail. The PBPK models in the turkey, pheasant and quail provided good predictions of the observed tissue residues in each species, in particular for liver and kidney.

Twelve (12) lactating dairy goats (46-71 kg body wt at study initiation) were divided into four treatment groups and dosed with ceftiofur sodium at 1.1 mg ceftiofur free acid equivalents (CFAE)/kg or 2.2 CFAE/kg using a complete two route (intravenous, i.v.; intramuscular, i.m.), two-period crossover design, with a 2-week washout between injections. After another 2-week washout period, the goats were dosed with ceftiofur sodium i.m. for 5 consecutive days at either 1.1 or 2.2 mg CFAE/kg. The goats from the 2.2 mg/kg multiple dose group were dried off and the i.v. kinetic study repeated. After all injections, blood samples were obtained serially for determination of combined serum concentrations of ceftiofur and metabolites. After intravenous doses of 1.1 and 2.2 mg/kg, the harmonic means of the terminal phase half-lives were 171.8 and 233 min, respectively, for lactating does. The harmonic mean of the terminal phase half-life after an i.v. dose of 2.2 mg/kg in non-lactating does was 254 min. The AUC0-infinity was significantly less and the clearance significantly greater during lactation. After i.m. doses of 1.1 and 2.2 mg/kg, the harmonic mean terminal phase half-lives were 163 and 156 min, respectively. The i.m. bioavailability of ceftiofur sodium in goats was 100%, and the AUC0-infinity was dose-proportional from 1.1-2.2 mg CFAE/kg body weight. After five daily i.m. doses of ceftiofur sodium at either 1.1 or 2.2 mg CFAE, there was minimal accumulation of drug in serum as assessed by Cmax, and serum concentrations were dose-proportional after the multiple dosing regimen.

Twenty-four sheep (38.0-54.1 kg body wt) were allocated into four treatment groups and dosed with ceftiofur sodium at 1.1 mg ceftiofur free acid equivalents (CFAE)/kg or 2.2 CFAE/kg using a complete two-route (intravenous, i.v.: intramuscular, i.m.), two-period crossover design, with a two-week washout between injections. After another two-week washout period, 12 sheep were selected and dosed with ceftiofur sodium i.m. for five consecutive days at either 1.1 or 2.2 mg CFAE/kg. After all injections, blood samples were obtained serially for determination of serum concentrations of ceftiofur and metabolites. The terminal phase half-lives derived from the last 3-5 concentration-time points were 350 and 292 min (harmonic means) after i.v. doses of 1.1 and 2.2 mg/kg, respectively, and 389 and 459 min after i.m. doses of 1.1 and 2.2 mg/kg, respectively. The i.m. bioavailability of ceftiofur sodium in sheep was 100%, and the area under the curve from time 0 to the limit of quantitation (AUC0 LOQ) was dose-proportional from 1.1-2.2 mg CFAE/kg body wt in sheep. After 5 daily i.m. doses of ceftiofur sodium at either 1.1 or 2.2 mg CFAE/kg there was minimal accumulation of drug in serum as assessed by the observed maximum serum concentration (Cmax), and serum concentrations were dose-proportional after the multiple dosing regimen.

No abstract

Ceftiofur, a third generation cephalosporin, demonstrates in vitro efficacy against microorganisms isolated from septicemic neonatal foals. This pharmacokinetic study evaluated the intravenous and subcutaneous administration of ceftiofur sodium (5 mg/kg body weight; n = 6 per group) and subcutaneous administration of ceftiofur crystalline free acid (6.6 mg/kg body weight; n = 6) in healthy foals. Plasma ceftiofur- and desfuroylceftiofur-related metabolite concentrations were measured using high performance liquid chromatography following drug administration. Mean (±SD) noncompartmental pharmacokinetic parameters for i.v. and s.c. ceftiofur sodium were: AUC(0→∝) (86.4 ± 8.5 and 91 ± 22 h·μg/mL for i.v. and s.c., respectively), terminal elimination half-life (5.82 ± 1.00 and 5.55 ± 0.81 h for i.v. and s.c., respectively), C(max(obs)) (13 ± 1.9 μg/mL s.c.), T(max(obs)) (0.75 ± 0.4 h for s.c.). Mean (± SD) noncompartmental pharmacokinetic parameters for s.c. ceftiofur crystalline free acid were: AUC(0→∝) (139.53 ± 22.63 h·μg/mL), terminal elimination half-life (39.7 ± 14.7), C(max(obs)) (2.52 ± 0.35 μg/mL) and t(max(obs)) (11.33 ± 1.63 h). No adverse effects attributed to drug administration were observed in any foal. Ceftiofur- and desfuroylceftiofur-related metabolites reached sufficient plasma concentrations to effectively treat common bacterial pathogens isolated from septicemic foals.