Pharmacokinetics of Enrofloxacin in Healthy and Pasteurella multocida Infected Chicken

Pharmacokinetics of single intramuscular administration at a dose of 5mg/kg enrofloxacin were studied in healthy and Pasteurella multocida infected chicken. The levels of enrofloxacin in plasma were measured using RP HPLC. The results showed that plasma profile of enrofloxacin in healthy and Pasteurella multocida infected chicken following im dosing were best described by two compartment model. The cause that the clearance of enrofloxacin from plasma in chicken infected with Pasteurella multocida were more quickly than that in control animals might be correlated with endotoxin released from Pasteurella multocida . Endotoxin could stimulate bone marrow to produce large amounts of leukocytes in which enrofloxacin could accumulate and rapidly leaked from leukocytes into infective tissues, as a subsequence, the residual enrofloxacin in plasma of chicken was reduced. Therefore, one should be cautious to recommend dosage regimen of enrofloxacin for clinical application based on the its disposition in healthy animals.