Temperature‐dependent pharmacokinetics of trichlorfon in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) after bath immersion therapy

Abstract

The common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) is one of the most important freshwater fish species. As C. carpio culture has escalated, bacterial and parasitic infections have become a real threat to the industry. Antibacterial and antiparasitic treatments are provided for infection control in C. carpio. However, adequate vaccines have not yet been developed. Trichlorfon (TCF), an organophosphate, is an antiparasitic agent used in aquaculture to treat external parasites. However, there are few pharmacokinetic (PK) studies on its use in fish. This study investigated the residue elimination and temperature‐dependent PK characteristics of TCF in C. carpio at 15°C and 25°C after 30 mg/L TCF bath immersion for 30 min. TCF residue concentrations in plasma and muscle tissues were determined using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry and further analyzed using a noncompartmental model. Temperature significantly affected specific PK parameters. Increasing the temperature from 15°C to 25°C shortened the elimination half‐life from 36.07 to 22.72 h. The time to reach the maximum plasma TCF residue concentration (Cmax) (Tmax) remained the same (0.5 h), but Cmax increased from 67.72 to 70.76 µg/L. The area under the plasma concentration–time curve decreased from 1,057.31 to 962.14 h∙µg/L. The muscle TCF Cmax was 446.99 µg/L with a corresponding Tmax of 0.5 h at 25°C, and 267.53 µg/L, with a corresponding Tmax of 1.0 h at 15°C. The temperature‐sensitive PK parameters, such as increased in Cmax and decreased elimination and distribution rates, significantly affected the plasma TCF residue concentration and its overall exposure to increasing temperature. Temperature affected the therapeutic outcomes of TCF treatment in C. carpio and likely other freshwater fish. Therefore, proper dosing regimens should take temperature into consideration.