Oral absorption of chlortetracycline in turkeys: influence of citric acid and Pasteurella multocida infection

Biliary elimination kinetics and tissue concentrations of oxytetracycline after intravenous administration in hens

The pharmacokinetics of the biliary elimination of oxytetracycline (OTC) and tissue concentrations in certain organs were studied in 10 Leghorn hens. The animals were anaesthetized using xylazine/ketamine administered by the intramuscular (i.m.) route and were immobilized for right laparotomy. Both bile ducts were cannulated and a dose of 20 mg/kg of oxytetracycline hydrochloride was administered intravenously (i.v.). Samples of bile excreted were taken at predetermined intervals during 6 h. At 6 h animals were slaughtered and tissue samples of blood, liver, kidney, pancreas, spleen, heart, lung and pectoral muscle were taken. The values for OTC biliary elimination rate times were best fitted to a one-exponential equation. The maximum value for OTC biliary excretion rate (3.69+/-0.6 microg/min/kg) was reached at approximately 17.5 min (time to maximum concentration (tmax)). The first-order rate constant for the biliary excretion (k) and the half-life (t1/2) were 6.7x10(-3) min(-1) and 110.55 min, respectively. The mean value of area under the biliary excretion rate time curve (AUC) indicated that 839.77 microg/kg body weight (b.w.) were eliminated by the biliary route. The cumulative biliary excretion data indicated that approximately 4.20% of the dose was eliminated by this route, 3.28% being eliminated during the first 6 h and 0.92% thereafter. The highest mean concentrations were found in the kidney (35.82 microg/kg) and liver (16.77 microg/g). Significant differences were found between the concentrations of the various tissues studied. Plasma concentration was lower than that of the other tissues (except lung).

Administration of doxycycline hydrochloride via drinking water to turkeys under laboratory and field conditions

A series of experiments were carried out in order to determine doxycycline hydrochloride (DoxHCl) plasma levels in 6-wk-old turkeys medicated via drinking water containing DoxHCl at a concentration of 250 mg/L under laboratory and field conditions. Maximal plasma concentration (Cmax) values of 5.7 (+/-1.0) microgram/mL and 4.9 (+/-1.4) micrograms/mL obtained after DoxHCl administration during 2 and 7 d, respectively, were not significantly different. A significant difference was found between the area under the plasma concentration-time profile, calculated between 0 and 168 h (AUC(0-168)), Cmax, and the minimal plasma concentration (Cmin) values obtained after medication with a DoxHCl solution at a concentration of 250 mg/L (431.9 +/- 96.6 micrograms.h/mL, 4.9 +/- 1.4 micrograms/mL and 0.7 +/- 0.3 microgram/mL) and after medication with a DoxHCl solution at a concentration of 750 mg/L (1,176.5 +/- 201.8 micrograms.h/mL, 12.5 +/- 2.7 micrograms/mL and 2.9 +/- 0.4 micrograms/mL), respectively. The increase in body weight was also significantly higher for turkeys medicated with a DoxHCl solution at a concentration of 750 mg/L (83.7 g/d) than for the lower concentration (35.6 g/d). The DoxHCl solution uptake significantly decreased with the increase of DoxHCl concentration. A Cmax value of 1.7 +/- 0.6 micrograms/mL and a Cmin value of 0.5 +/- 0.1 microgram/mL were observed during the field experiment. Water consumption under laboratory conditions was followed for tap water (70 +/- 50 mL/kg.d) and for a DoxHCl solution at a concentration of 250 mg/L supplemented with 1 g anhydrous citric acid/L (119 +/- 6 mL/kg.d) and revealed to be not significantly different. The variability was significantly higher for tap water than for the DoxHCl solution. The stability of the DoxHCl solution containing 1 g citric acid/L over 24 h was 99% expressed as the percentage of the initial concentration.

Influence of dietary citric acid and calcium on the bioavailability of orally administered chlortetracycline in piglets

In a study involving 18 piglets divided into three groups (A, B and C), the effects of dietary calcium and citric acid, and feeding technique on chlortetracycline bioavailability were examined. Groups of 6 animals received a basal diet with either 0.7% (group A) or 1.4% calcium (groups B and C). Citric acid was not included in diets of the first experimental period. In the second period, either 1.5% (groups A and B) or 3.0% (group C) citric acid was added to the diet. In both experimental periods, chlortetracycline was administered once intravenously (7.5 mg/kg b.w.) and once orally (30 mg/kg b.w.). After each administration, blood samples were taken at regular intervals in order to determine chlortetracycline serum concentrations by a microbiological method. Following oral chlortetracycline intake, low dietary calcium or citric acid addition to the diet produced increased chlortetracycline serum concentrations. Chlortetracycline bioavailability was 12.6% at 0.7% dietary calcium, and 9.5% at 1.4% dietary calcium. Enteral chlortetracycline absorption was improved 65% with 1.5% or 3.0% dietary citric acid supplementation. An 8-hour delay of feed intake following oral chlortetracycline intake did not significantly influence chlortetracycline bioavailability.

Effect of citric and ascorbic acids on performance and intestinal pH of chicks

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of one percent dietary citric and ascorbic acid additions on performance and intestinal pH of young chicks. The citric and ascorbic acid additions did not affect chick performance or pH of the duodenal lumen contents. Also, pH of the duodenal lumen contents was not affected by 1:2 to 1:8 dilutions with distilled water.

The pharmacokinetics of chlortetracycline orally administered to turkeys: influence of citric acid and Pasteurella multocida infection

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic model was developed to describe the absorption and disposition of chlortetracyline (CTC) in the healthy and diseased (fowl cholera) turkey. The CTC was given (with and without citric acid) as an oral (15 mg/kg) or i.v. (1 mg/kg) dose. When minerals (0.3 g/L Ca2+, 0.1 g/L Mg2+) were dissolved in the bird's drinking water, the model indicated that the addition of citric acid (mass ratio of 10 citrate: 1 CTC) increased the fraction of dose absorbed from 0.06 to 0.16; once absorbed, the fractions of drug eliminated by renal excretion, biliary secretion, and chemical decomposition were 50, 46, and 4%, respectively. The presence of fowl cholera appeared to increase plasma levels by increasing the intestinal permeability and lowering the hepatic and/or renal clearance.