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tion anaesthesia, were the most e¡ective agents in reducing re£ex reactions.

Knowledge of the pharmacokinetic properties of drugs to combat bacterial infections in cod (Gadus morhua) and wrasse (Ctenolabrus rupestris) is limited. One antimicrobial agent likely to be effective is flumequine. The aim of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic properties of flumequine in these two species. Flumequine was administered intravenously to cod (G. morhua) at a dose of 5 mg/kg bodyweight and wrasse (C. rupestris) at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Flumequine was also administered orally to both species at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight, and as a bath treatment at a dose of 10 mg/L water for 2 h. Identical experimental designs were used otherwise. The study was performed in seawater with a salinity of 3.2% and a temperature of 8.0 +/- 0.2 degrees C (cod) and 14.5 +/- 0.4 degrees C (wrasse). Pharmacokinetic modelling of the data showed that flumequine had quite different pharmacokinetic properties in cod and wrasse. Following intravenous administration, the volumes of distribution at steady-state (Vss) were 2.41 L/kg (cod) and 2.15 L/kg (wrasse). Total body clearances (Cl) were 0.024 L/hxkg (cod) and 0.14 L/hxkg (wrasse) and the elimination half-lives (t1/2lambda z) were calculated to be 75 h (cod) and 31 h (wrasse). Mean residence times (MRT) were 99 h (cod) and 16 h (wrasse). Following oral administration, the t1/2 lambda z were 74 h (cod) and 41 h (wrasse). Maximal plasma concentrations (tmax) were 3.5 mg/L (cod) and 1.7 mg/L (wrasse), and were observed 24 h post-administration in cod and 1 h post-administration in wrasse. The oral bioavailabilities (F) were calculated to be 65% (cod) and 41% (wrasse). Following bath administration, maximal plasma concentrations were 0.13 mg/L (cod) and 0.09 mg/L (wrasse), and were observed immediately after the end of the bath.

Flumequine was administered to halibut (Hippoglossus hippoglossus) and turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) intravenously (i.v.) and orally (p.o.) at a dose of 10 mg/ kg bodyweight, and as a bath-treatment at a dose of 10 mg/L water for 2 h, using identical experimental designs. The study was performed in seawater with a salinity of 3% and a temperature of 10.3+/-0.4 degrees C (halibut) and 18.0+/-0.3 degrees C (turbot). Pharmacokinetic modelling of the data showed that flumequine had quite similar pharmacokinetic properties in halibut and turbot. Following intravenous administration, the volumes of distribution at steady state (Vss) were 2.99 L/kg (halibut) and 3.75 L/kg (turbot). Plasma clearances (Cl) were 0.12 L/kg (halibut) and 0.17 L/h x kg (turbot) and the elimination half-lives (t(1/2lambdaz)) were calculated to be 32 h (halibut) and 34 h (turbot). Mean residence times (MRT) were 25.1 h (halibut) and 22.2 h (turbot). Following oral administration, the t(1/2lambdaz) were 43 h (halibut) and 42 h (turbot). Maximal plasma concentrations (tmax) were 1.4 mg/L (halibut) and 1.9 mg/L (turbot), and were observed 7 h post administration in both species. The oral bioavailabilities (F) were calculated to 56% (halibut) and 59% (turbot). Following bath administration maximal plasma concentrations were 0.08 mg/L (halibut) and 0.14 mg/ L (turbot), and were observed 0 h (halibut) and 3 h (turbot) after the end of the bath. The bioavailability in halibut following a 2-h bath treatment was 5%.

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