In-feed Medication has been used for a long time to prevent coccidiosis, a worldwide
protozoal disease in rabbits. Florfenicol (FFC) has been widely used in veterinary clinics
for bacterial diseases treatment. Therefore, the use of combinations of coccidiostats with
FFC in rabbits is common. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of three
coccidiostats, sulfaquinoxaline (SUL), robenidine (ROB), and toltrazuril (TOL), as feed
additives on the pharmacokinetic profile of FFC in rabbits. The disposition kinetics of
FFC in rabbits were investigated after a single intravenous injection (25 mg/kg) in
rabbits fed anticoccidial-free diets or feeds containing SUL (250 ppm), ROB (66 ppm), or
TOL (2 ppm), respectively, for 20 days. Plasma FFC concentrations were determined by the
high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The pharmacokinetic parameters of
FFC were analyzed using a non-compartmental analysis based on the statistical moment
theory. The results demonstrated that ROB feeding resulted in an obvious decrease in
plasma FFC level as compared with anticoccidial-free feeding. The terminal elimination
half-life (t1/2z), area under the concentration–time curve
(AUC), area under the first moment curve (AUMC), and
mean residence time (MRT) significantly decreased, whereas the
elimination rate constant (λz) and total body clearance
(CLz) obviously increased in rabbits pretreated with ROB.
However, we did not find that SUL or TOL feeding had any effect on the pharmacokinetic
profile of FFC. Our findings suggested that more attention should be paid to the use of
FFC in rabbits supplemented with ROB.