Absorption and excretion of miloxacin in mice, rats, and dogs

Miloxacin, a synthetic antibacterial agent structurally related to oxolinic acid, has a broad spectrum of activity in vitro against gram-negative bacteria and considerable activity in vivo against infections with these bacteria. These observations led to studies on the absorption and excretion of miloxacin in mice, rats, and dogs after administration of a single oral dose. Studies on oxolinic acid have been included for comparison. Peak serum levels of miloxacin, attained 1 h after administration of 20, 50, and 100 mg/kg to rats and dogs, were approximately 20, 40, and 60 micrograms/ml, respectively. Peak levels in mice receiving the same dose were 15, 60, and 80 micrograms/ml at 0.5 h. Peak serum levels of oxolinic acid were attained 0.5 to 1 h later than the above times at comparable doses and were one-half to one-fourth those of miloxacin. Urinary recovery of miloxacin at the above doses ranged from 3.2 to 6.5% during the 24-h posttreatment period. Recoveries of oxolinic acid were one-half to one-fifth those of miloxacin. At a 50-mg/kg dose, rats excreted 4.6% of the miloxacin in bile in the 20-h posttreatment period.