Single-dose pharmacokinetics of flumequine in the eel (Anguilla anguilla) after intravascular, oral and bath administration

Validation of a Chiral Liquid Chromatographic Method for the Degradation Behavior of Flumequine Enantiomers in Mariculture Pond Water

In this work, flumequine (FLU) enantiomers were separated using a Chiralpak OD-H column, with n-hexane-ethanol (20:80, v/v) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 0.6 mL/min. Solid phase extraction (SPE) was used for cleanup and enrichment. The limit of detection, limit of quantitation, linearity, precision, and intra/interday variation of the chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method were determined. The developed method was then applied to investigate the degradation behavior of FLU enantiomers in mariculture pond water samples. The results showed that the degradation of FLU enantiomers under natural, sterile, or dark conditions was not enantioselective. Chirality 28:649-655, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Pharmacokinetics and residue depletion of praziquantel in rice field eels Monopterus albus

We investigated the pharmacokinetic characteristics of praziquantel (PZQ) in rice field eels Monopterus albus. Pharmacokinetic parameters were determined following a single intravenous administration (5 mg kg(-1) body weight [bw]) and a single oral administration (10 mg kg(-1) bw) at 22.0 ± 0.7°C. We also evaluated residue depletion in tissues following daily administration of PZQ (10 mg kg(-1) bw) that was given orally for 3 consecutive days at 22.0 ± 0.7°C. Following intravenous treatment, the plasma concentration-time curve was best described by a 3-compartment open model, with distribution half-life (t(1/2α)), elimination half-life (t(1/2β)), and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) of 0.54 h, 17.10 h, and 14505.12 h µg l(-1), respectively. After oral administration, the plasma concentration-time curve was best described by a 1-compartment open model with first-order absorption, with absorption half-life (t(1/2Ka)), elimination half-life (t(1/2Ke)), peak concentration (C(max)), time-to-peak concentration (T(max)), and AUC estimated to be 2.28 h, 6.66 h, 361.29 µg l(-1), 5.36 h, and 6065.46 h µg l(-1), respectively. The oral bioavailability (F) was 20.9%. With respect to residue depletion of PZQ, the t(1/2β) values of muscle, skin, liver, and kidney were 20.2, 28.4, 14.9, and 54.1 h, respectively. Our results indicated rapid absorption, rapid elimination, and low bioavailability of PZQ in rice field eels at the tested dosing conditions.

Antibiotic uptake by cultured Atlantic cod leucocytes and effect on intracellular Francisella noatunensis subsp. noatunensis replication

The granuloma disease caused by Francisella noatunensis subsp. noatunensis in farmed Atlantic cod has not been successfully treated by use of antibacterials, even when antibacterial resistance testing indicates a sufficient effect. The reason for this treatment failure may be the intracellular existence of the bacteria within immune cells, mainly macrophages. To investigate the effect of antibacterials on intracellular Francisella replication, we established a protocol for the detection of drugs within Atlantic cod immune cells using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). When the uptake and intracellular concentrations of oxolinic acid and flumequine were analysed in isolated adherent head kidney leucocytes (HKLs) by HPLC, we found that uptake was rapid and the intracellular concentrations reflected the extracellular exposure concentrations. To investigate the effect of the antibacterial compounds on intracellular bacterial replication, adherent HKLs experimentally infected with the bacteria were analysed using flow cytometry and intracellular labelling of bacteria by specific antibodies. We found that flumequine did not inhibit intracellular bacterial replication. Unexpectedly, the results indicated that the intracellularly effiacy of the drug was reduced. The HPLC method used proved to be highly applicable for accurate determination of intracellular drug concentrations. When combined with sensitive and specific flow cytometry analyses for identification and measurement of intracellular bacterial replication, we suggest that this approach can be very valuable for the design of antibacterial treatments of intracellular pathogens.

Degradation of oxolinic acid and flumequine in aquaculture pond waters and sediments

Oxolinic acid (OA) and flumequine (FLU) are two of the quinolone antibiotics (QAs) that are widely used in aquaculture. The purpose of this study was to understand the fates of OA and FLU in waters and sediment slurries from aquaculture ponds in a laboratory experiment. Waters and sediments were sampled from an eel (Anguilla japonica) pond and a shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) pond. The effects of light, microbial activities, and temperature on the degradation of these two QAs were elucidated. Results indicated that light plays a major role in the degradation of OA and FLU in waters and sediment slurries. Under illuminated and non-sterile conditions, the half-lives (t(1/2)) of OA were 2.3-4.8 and 9.5-15.0 days in the waters and sediment slurries, respectively. For FLU, under the same conditions, t(1/2) values were 1.9-2.3 and 3.6-6.4 days, respectively. Photodegradation of OA and FLU was much faster in water than in sediment slurry. In both environments, degradation became very slow or would plateau after only minimal change in the dark. Besides the effect of light, biodegradation had very minor effects on the degradation of the two QAs in the sediment slurries. The only independent biodegradation was found when OA was placed in shrimp pond sediment slurry, but at a much lower rate (t(1/2) of 98.7 days) than in light. Biodegradation of FLU was also found in the eel pond sediment slurry but only through an additional connection with light. Also, re-addition enhanced the degradation of OA in shrimp pond sediment slurry, but slowed the degradation of FLU in the eel pond sediment slurry in the dark. The temperature experiment in this study showed no significant effects on degradation of the two QAs in either pond waters or sediment slurries.

A single-dose pharmacokinetic study of oxolinic acid and vetoquinol, an oxolinic acid ester, in cod, Gadus morhua L., held in sea water at 8 degrees C and in vitro antibacterial activity of oxolinic acid against Vibrio anguillarum strains isolated from diseased cod

The pharmacokinetic properties of the antibacterial agent oxolinic acid and vetoquinol, the carbitol ester of oxolinic acid, were studied after intravenous (i.v.) and oral (p.o.) administration to 100-150 g cod, Gadus morhua L., held in sea water at 8 degrees C. Following i.v. injection, the plasma drug concentration-time profile showed two distinct phases. The distribution half-life (t1/2alpha) was estimated at 1.3 h, the elimination half-life (t1/2beta) as 84 h and the total body clearance (Cl(T)) as 0.047 L kg(-1) h(-1). The volume of distribution at steady state, Vd(ss) was calculated to be 5.5 L kg(-1), indicating good tissue penetration of oxolinic acid in cod. Following p.o. administration of oxolinic acid or vetoquinol, the peak plasma concentrations (C(max)) of oxolinic acid and the time to peak plasma concentrations (T(max) were estimated to be 1.2 and 2.5 microg mL(-1) and 24 and 12 h, respectively. The bioavailabilities of oxolinic acid following p.o. administration of oxolinic acid and vetoquinol were calculated to be 55 and 72%, respectively. The in vitro minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of oxolinic acid against three strains of Vibrio anguillarum isolated from diseased cod were 0.016 microg mL(-1) (HI-610), 0.250 microg mL(-1) (HI-618) and 0.250 microg mL(-1) (HI-A21). Based on a MIC value of 0.016 microg mmL(-1) a single p.o. administration of 25 mg kg(-1) of oxolinic acid maintains plasma levels in excess of 0.064 microg mL(-1), corresponding to four times the MIC-value, for approximately 12 days. The analogous value for a single p.o. dose of 25 mg kg(-1) of oxolinic acid administered as vetoquinol was 13 days.