Rapid Depletion of Marbofloxacin Residues in Rabbit after Therapeutic Treatment

Abstract

Although rabbit meat production represents a very small percentage of the world meat market, this percentage has been growing continuously during the last 30 years. Rabbit is considered a minor food species, and therefore no drugs are specifically registered for this animal. This situation encourages rabbit farmers to make off-label use of antibacterial drugs authorized for food-producing animal species other than rabbits. In the present study, the distribution and elimination of the fluoroquinolone antibacterial agent marbofloxacin in rabbit muscle, liver, and kidney was investigated. Marbofloxacin was chosen as a representative of a new generation of antibacterial drugs active against most gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and mycoplasms; it is well tolerated and has short elimination times in bovine and swine species. Rabbits were treated with marbofloxacin at 2 mg kg of body weight(-1) for 5 days. Residual concentrations in liver, kidney, and muscle tissues were determined posttreatment with high-performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection. Marbofloxacin was rapidly distributed and eliminated from rabbit tissues. Concentrations were higher in the liver and kidney than in muscle. However, 48 h after the end of treatment, marbofloxacin concentrations dropped below the maximum residue level fixed for this antibacterial drug in cattle and pigs. Considering the efficacy of marbofloxacin for the treatment of the most common rabbit diseases, its tolerability, and its short elimination time as verified in the present study, use of this antibacterial drug could be extended to therapeutic treatment of rabbits.

Determination of Marbofloxacin residues in Rabbit Tissues by HPLC

“…This finding is in agreement with Ligabue et al [17] who reported that marbofloxacin in rabbits' muscle was lower than those measured in the liver and kidney after S.C injection at a dose of 2mg/kg BW/day for 5 days. We found that marbofloxacin residues concentrations in muscles at the 1 st day and in kidneys and livers at the 3 rd day were lower than the MRL (150 µg/kg) recommended by EMEA [20].…”

“…The results obtained in the present study confirmed that the absorption and distribution of marbofloxacin administered to rabbits via intramuscular injection reach high levels in a short time in kidney, liver, lung and muscle which were in agreement with the previous reports [10, 16,17,19]. Marbofloxacin remained within the detectable limit till the 5 th day in most tested tissues, while in kidney it remained till the 7 th day following last administration of the drug.…”

“…High concentrations of marbofloxacin were detected after 24 h from the last administered dose in both kidneys and liver which were much lower than those reported by Anadon et al [16] who mentioned that marbofloxacin concentration in both kidneys and liver were 0.985 and 0.735 µg/gm, respectively in healthy Ross male broiler chickens received marbofloxacin at dose of 2mg/kg BW for 3 days. While our results were much higher than those reported by Ligabue et al [17] who found that the concentration of marbofloxacin in both kidneys and liver were 0.016 ± 0.006 and 0.032±0.01 µg/gm, respectively in rabbits subcutaneously injected with marbofloxacin at a dose of 2mg/kg BW for 5 days. Also, our results were higher than those reported by Ding et al [10] who mentioned that the marbofloxacin concentration in both kidneys and liver were 0.26 and 0.1 µg/gm, respectively in Mycoplasma gllisepticum infected chickens treated with marbofloxacin at dose of 5mg/kg BW for 3 days.…”

“…This finding is in agreement with Ding et al [10] and Anadon et al [16] who reported that marbofloxacin concentration in kidney was more than that in liver. But is contrast with Ligabue et al [17] and Yang et al [19] who reported that marbofloxacin concentration in liver was more than that in kidney.…”

“…The withdrawal period in rabbits was 2 days after S/C injection of marbofloxacin at a dose of 2mg/kg BW for 5 days as reported by Ligabue et al [17]. The withdrawal period for chickens was 3 days after oral treatment of marbofloxacin at a dose of 2 mg/kg BW for 5 days [22].…”