Abstract
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is widely used as a mucolytic agent in cases with inflammation of the lungs. NAC is applied in poultry with aflatoxin B1 intoxication as an antioxidant, but its pharmacokinetics are not known. The present study was conducted to characterize the population pharmacokinetics of orally administered NAC in broilers. It included 32 chickens, divided into four groups, treated with NAC at a dose rate of 100 mg/kg/day mixed with the feed: healthy broilers (n = 6); chickens infected with Mycoplasma gallisepticum (n = 10); healthy broilers (n = 6); and diseased chickens (n = 10) treated with NAC and doxycycline (via drinking water, 20 mg/kg body weight (b.w.)). Plasma concentrations were analyzed by Liquid Chromatography –Mass Spectrometry (MS)/MS. NAC was absorbed after oral administration in all four groups of chickens. In healthy chickens treated solely with NAC, maximum plasma concentrations of 2.26 ± 0.91 µg mL−1 were achieved at 2.47 ± 0.45 h after dosing. The value of absorption half-life was 1.04 ± 0.53 h. The population pharmacokinetic analysis showed that dose adjustment of NAC is not required in M. gallisepticum-infected broilers or when it is combined with doxycycline.
Highlights
Doxycycline hyclate in a form of HydroDoxx®500 mg/g oral powder (Huvepharma NV, Antwerpen, Belgium) was applied in groups treated with a combination of NAC and antibiotic
Mycoplasmosis was successfully provoked in groups of chickens challenged with
The animals from the infected groups had a statistically significantly lower body weight and a higher FCR was calculated at the end of the experiment in comparison to the healthy broilers
Summary
The thiol group is able to reduce free radicals and has antioxidant effects [1,2,3,4]. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) possesses mucolytic activity and is often used in humans in the treatment of chronic bronchitis and other lung disorders, such as lung inflammation, transplant rejection, and pulmonary fibrosis [8,9]. The efficacy of NAC in the treatment of stress and disease conditions in poultry is described [13]. The antioxidant properties of NAC substantiate its efficacy in the reduction of the toxic effects of aflatoxin B1 in broiler chickens and rabbits with experimental aflatoxicosis [14,15,16]. A positive effect in reducing the negative impact of heat stress in poultry was described [13,17]
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