Pharmacokinetics and tissue residues of enrofloxacin in the largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) after oral administration

Abstract The study was carried out to evaluate the pharmacokinetic disposition of enrofloxacin (ENF) with a single dose of 20 mg/kg after oral administration in largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ) at 28°C. The concentrations of ENF and of its metabolite ciprofloxacin (CIP) in plasma, liver, and muscle plus skin in natural proportions were determined using HPLC. The concentration–time data for ENF in plasma were best described by a two‐compartment open model. After oral administration, the maximum ENF concentration ( C max ) of 10.99 μg/ml was obtained at 0.60 hr. The absorption half‐life ( T 1/2Ka ) of ENF was calculated to be 0.07 hr whereas the elimination half‐life ( T 1/2β ) of the drug was 90.79 hr. The estimates of area under the plasma concentration–time curve (AUC) and apparent volume of distribution (Vd/F) were 1,185.73 μg hr/ml and 2.21 L/kg, respectively. ENF residues were slowly depleted from the liver and muscle plus skin of largemouth bass with the T 1/2β of 124.73 and 115.14 hr, respectively. Very low levels of ciprofloxacin were detected in the plasma and tissues. A withdrawal time of 24 days was necessary to ensure that the residues of ENF + CIP in muscle plus skin were less than the maximal residue limit (MRL) of 100 μg/kg established by the European Union.