Pharmacokinetic evaluation of roxithromycin and ciprofloxacin in treating complicated avian mycoplasmosis in broiler chickens

Abstract

The use of roxithromycin along with ciprofloxacin is having potential to be a promising antimicrobial therapy to treat complicated avian mycoplasmosis in broiler chickens. The present research was undertaken to study the influence of roxithromycin (20 mg/kg body weight) and ciprofloxacin (10 mg/kg body weight) on the oral pharmacokinetics of each other, when both drugs are concomitantly administered in eight healthy male broiler chickens (n=8) and to establish their therapeutic dosage regimens. Their plasma concentrations were assayed by validated ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) methods using UV detector. Oral pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated from plasma concentration versus time data based on non-compartmental analysis. Statistically, plasma roxithromycin concentration was significantly higher at one time point only (0.5 h) and plasma ciprofloxacin concentration was significantly lower at the time point of 2 h only when used in combination, in comparison to their respective values obtained after their alone administrations. The pharmacokinetic parameters of roxithromycin and ciprofloxacin showed no significant effect on values of either drug when given in combination and there was a lack of pharmacokinetic interaction between the two antimicrobials. The predicted effective oral dose rate of roxithromycin was 20 mg/kg body weight, every 12 h, and that of ciprofloxacin was 10 mg/kg body weight, every 24 h, to treat complicated avian mycoplasmosis in broiler chickens.