Premium
Pharmacokinetics of flunixin and its effect on prostaglandin F 2α metabolite concentrations after oral and intravenous administration in heifers
Author(s) -
ODENSVIK K.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of veterinary pharmacology and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.527
H-Index - 60
eISSN - 1365-2885
pISSN - 0140-7783
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2885.1995.tb00589.x
Subject(s) - pharmacokinetics , metabolite , bioavailability , oral administration , pharmacology , crossover study , chemistry , active metabolite , prostaglandin , cmax , medicine , biochemistry , placebo , alternative medicine , pathology
Flunixin meglumine (FM) was administered either orally as granules or intravenously to six heifers in a two period crossover study. Single doses of 2.2 mg/kg body weight were used. Pharmacokinetic variables were calculated using statistical moment methods. The effect exerted by flunixin was measured as changes in the basal plasma concentration of the main metabolite of prostaglandin (PG) F 2α . After oral FM the arithmetic means of pharmacokinetic variables were: MRT = 12.7 h; MAT = 6.3 h; C max = 0.9 μg/mL; t max = 3.5 h. The bioavailability was 60% and the mean half‐life (harmonic mean) was 6.2 h. Oral administration of FM inhibited as effectively as intravenous administration the prostaglandin biosynthesis. The concentration of the PG metabolite decreased almost as rapidly as after intravenous administration. The duration of the effect was prolonged and the PG metabolite concentration was significantly lower between 10 and 30 h after oral than after intravenous administration. The results indicate that oral dosing of flunixin, in the form of granules, can be an alternative to intravenous administration for therapeutic use in cattle.