Effect of Erythromycin and Gentamicin on Abomasal Emptying Rate in Suckling Calves

Abstract

Background: Commonly used dosage protocols for antimicrobial agents may alter the rate of gastric emptying. Hypothesis: Parenteral administration of erythromycin increases and gentamicin decreases the rate of abomasal emptying. Animals: Five male Holstein-Friesian calves (8-15 days of age). Methods: Calves received each of the following 4 IM treatments in random order: control, 2 mL of 0.9% NaCl; erythromycin, 8.8 mg/kg; low-dose gentamicin, 4.4 mg/kg; high-dose gentamicin, 6.6 mg/kg. Abomasal emptying rate was assessed by acetaminophen and glucose absorption. Calves were fed 2 L of cow's milk containing acetaminophen (50 mg/kg body weight) 30 minutes after each treatment was administered, and jugular venous blood samples were obtained periodically after suckling. The maximum observed plasma acetaminophen concentration (actual C max ) and time of actual C max (actual T max ) were determined, and pharmacokinetic modeling was used to calculate model C max and model T max .Results: Erythromycin increased abomasal emptying rate, as indicated by a shorter time to actual T max and model T max (P o .05). Abomasal emptying rate after injection of low-dose gentamicin was similar to that of control. Administration of high-dose gentamicin resulted in a longer time to actual T max (P 5 .021) but did not change model T max (P 5 .62).Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: IM injection of erythromycin increased abomasal emptying rate in dairy calves, whereas low-dose and high-dose gentamicin did not alter the rate of abomasal emptying as measured by acetaminophen kinetics and glucose absorption. The clinical relevance of these findings remains to be determined.

Effect of parenteral administration of ivermectin and erythromycin on abomasal emptying rate in suckling calves

“…2,7,8 Parenteral administration of erythromycin (10 mg/kg, IM) immediately before surgical correction of abomasal volvulus or left displacement of the abomasum in lactating dairy cattle increases the postsurgical abomasal emptying rate. 2 Erythromycin exerts its effect to accelerate gastric emptying by acting as a motilin-receptor agonist via binding to motilin receptors in the pyloric antrum and proximal portion of the small intestine.…”

“…Structure-activity studies 3 them to interact strongly with the motilin receptor: a ring structure (typically a 14-member lactone [cyclic ester] ring), an amino sugar (desosamine) bound at C-5 of the ring in a glycosidic linkage, and a neutral sugar (such as cladinose) bound at C-3 of the ring in a glycosidic linkage. 2,7,8 Parenteral administration of erythromycin (10 mg/kg, IM) immediately before surgical correction of abomasal volvulus or left displacement of the abomasum in lactating dairy cattle increases the postsurgical abomasal emptying rate. 5,6 Parenteral administration of erythromycin at the label dosage for cattle (8.8 mg/kg, IM) causes an immediate increase in abomasal motility and emptying rate in milk-fed calves.…”

Effect of Orally Administered Cisapride, Bethanechol, and Erythromycin on the Apparent Efficiency of Colostral IgG Absorption in Neonatal Holstein‐Friesian Calves

“…An unexpected finding of this study was the minimal effect that oral erythromycin lactobionate (20 mg/kg BW) had on indices of abomasal emptying rate and the total IgG and total protein‐time relationships. Previous studies have consistently demonstrated that IM administration of erythromycin (8.8–10 mg/kg BW) produced a marked prokinetic effect in milk‐fed calves and adult cattle 5, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Erythromycin base is not absorbed in preruminant calves when administered orally at 10 mg/kg; this result has been attributed to acid destruction of erythromycin in the abomasum 37.…”

“…We were, therefore, interested in determining the effect of potential nonantimicrobial prokinetic agents, such as cisapride and bethanechol, on abomasal emptying rate and AEA in neonatal calves, and in comparing their prokinetic effects to a positive control (erythromycin) and a negative control (0.9% NaCl solution). Erythromycin was selected as the positive control because it is known to be a strong prokinetic agent in milk‐fed calves and adult cattle 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. Cisapride was investigated because it increases the rate of gastrointestinal motility in the cat, dog, and horse 20.…”

Interactions between erythromycin, flunixin meglumine, levamisole and plant secondary metabolites towards bovine gastrointestinal motility—in vitro study

“…However, due to the limited bioavailability of flavonoids and saponins in ruminants, the findings including the low dose of PSM require major attention. Erythromycin, flunixin meglumine and levamisole are examples of medicines of confirmed prokinetic effect (Nouri et al., ; Wittek et al., ; Fazeli, Shomali, Firouzi, & Ghane, ) in addition to the main activity, that is, antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory and anthelminthic, respectively. Their contractile impact towards gut smooth muscle observed in vivo is consistent with our findings obtained from experiments performed on bovine isolated abomasum and duodenum strips (Figures , and ).…”