Pharmacokinetics after intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous administration of moxifloxacin in sheep

The disposition kinetics of moxifloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, after intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) administration was determined in sheep at a single dose of 5 mg/kg. The concentration-time data were analysed by compartmental (after IV dose) and non-compartmental (after IV, IM and SC administration) pharmacokinetic methods. Plasma concentrations of moxifloxacin were determined by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. steady-state volume of distribution (V-ss) and clearance (CI) of moxifloxacin after IV administration were 2.03 +/- 0.36 L/kg and 0.39 +/- 0.04 L/h kg, respectively. Following IM and SC administration. moxifloxacin achieved maximum plasma concentration of 1.66 +/- 0.62 mg/L and 0.90 +/- 0.19 mg/L at 2.25 +/- 0.88 h and 3.25 +/- 1.17 h, respectively. The absolute bioavailabilities after IM and SC routes were 96.12 +/- 32.70% and 102.20 +/- 23.76%, respectively. From these data (kinetic parameters and absence of adverse reactions) moxifloxacin may be a potentially useful antibiotic in sheep. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.