Abstract
Plasma pharmacokinetic profiles and the anti-inflammatory efficacy of meloxicam were determined when administered subcutaneously (SC) or intramuscularly (IM) to sheep. Merino ewes were initially injected with 0.1 mL of oil of turpentine into a forelimb to induce inflammation, followed by either 1.0 mg/kg or 2.0 mg/kg of meloxicam administered either SC or IM (n = 6 per treatment group) or followed by no meloxicam administration (control) (n = 4). Ewes were examined to determine skin temperature, limb circumference, limb sensitivity and signs of lameness at 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24 and 48 h following treatment, with blood collected at these time-points to quantify meloxicam plasma concentrations. Skin temperature of ewes dosed with meloxicam at 1.0 mg/kg SC and 2.0 mg/kg IM at 12 h and 1.0 mg/kg SC at 24 were significantly different to the controls (P < 0.05). Limb circumferences of ewes dosed with 1.0 mg/kg IM were significantly different to controls at 10 h and 12 h (P < 0.05). All meloxicam treatment groups resulted in reduced limb sensitivity compared to controls at 6 h, with the 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg IM treatments significantly different at 12 h (P < 0.05) and 1.0 and 2.0 mg/kg SC groups, significantly different to controls at 48 h (P < 0.05). No significant difference in lameness scores were detected over 48 h. The 1.0 mg/kg IM treatment had a significantly greater plasma meloxicam concentration than the 1.0 mg/kg SC treatment over 0.5 to 4 h (P < 0.001). Both 1.0 mg/kg SC and IM treatments demonstrated elimination half-lives (mean ± SD) of 10.82 ± 2.46 and 12.63 ± 2.37 h, respectively. Meloxicam at all doses provided some anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects from 6 to 48 h; however no route could be distinguished as more efficacious than the others.
Highlights
Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) registered for a number of species including humans, cats, dogs, cattle, pigs and most recently sheep [1]
The 1.0 mg/kg SC and 2.0 mg/kg IM treatments were significantly less than controls at 12 h (P < 0.05)
No treatment group appeared consistently superior to any other. This current study demonstrates that when meloxicam is administered by both SC and IM routes, it provides some anti-inflammatory action and pain relief, but not surprisingly, this occurs later than that observed from 2 to 4 h when meloxicam was injected at 1.0 mg/kg IV [13]
Summary
Meloxicam is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) registered for a number of species including humans, cats, dogs, cattle, pigs and most recently sheep [1]. Meloxicam administered subcutaneously and intramuscularly to sheep prostaglandins [2]. NSAIDs, such as meloxicam, reduce formation of those prostaglandins (PG), such as PGE2, that induce inflammation, pain and fever [3]. Meloxicam is considered to selectively inhibit the COX-2 isoenzyme in humans [4], resulting in low ulcerogenic potential of the gastric mucosa, this may not be the case for all species [2]. Meloxicam has demonstrated favourable characteristics in many species, such as an extended elimination half-life of 24 h in dogs [3], 20 h in humans [3] and 8.5 h in horses [9], and a high oral availability such as 106% in dogs [3], 89% in humans [10] and 85% in horses [9]
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