Effect of aflatoxicosis on the kinetic behaviour of ceftiofur in chickens

The kinetic behaviour of ceftiofur sodium was studied in aflatoxin treated chickens for 30 days and in non-treated chickens, following oral, intramuscular and intravenous administrations of 10 mg kg(-1) bodyweight of ceftiofur. Aflatoxicosis resulted in a more significant decrease in ceftiofur serum concentration in the treated than in non-treated chickens following oral and intravenous administrations. The kinetic behaviour showed that following intravenous injection the elimination half life time t(0.5 (el)) was significantly shorter in the treated chickens (1.75 +/- 0.03 hours) than in non-treated chickens (4.23 +/- 0.05 hours). Following oral administration, the kinetic behaviour revealed a longer absorption half-life [t(0.5 (ab)), 62.74 +/- 1.59 minutes] in the treated chickens than in non-treated (50.46 +/- 5.07 minutes), with lower C-max 23.25 +/- 0.42 mu g ml(-1) at long t(max) (3.05 +/- 0.07 hour) in treated chickens than in non-treated (C-max 27.83 +/- 1.28 at t(max) 2.39 +/- 0.07 hours).