SINGLE DOSE PHARMACOKINETICS of AZITHROMYCIN in BALL PYTHONS (Python Regius)
SINGLE DOSE PHARMACOKINETICS OF AZITHROMYCIN IN BALL PYTHONS (Python regius) Rob L. Coke, DVM,1* Robert P. Hunter, MS, PhD,2 Ramiro Isaza, MS, DVM,1 James W. Carpenter, MS, DVM,1 David Koch, MS,2 and Marie Goatley, BS2 1Department of Clinical Sciences and the 2Department of Anatomy and Physiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506 USA Abstract Azithromycin is a new sub-class of macrolide antibiotics classified as an azalide. This antimicrobial has a similar mechanism of action to the other macrolides (i.e., erythromycin) by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit.2 Azithromycin provides broad-spectrum antibiosis against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.2 It also has the ability to obtain sustained drug concentrations in tissues much greater than the corresponding plasma concentration.1,3 This study determined the pharmacokinetics of azithromycin (Zithromax®, Pfizer Inc., New York, NY 10017 USA) in ball pythons (Python regius), a species that is representative of the Boidae family. Snakes were administered azithromycin intravenously (i.v.) to determine distribution and orally (p.o.) to determine bioavailability and absorption. Seven ball pythons (two males, five females), weighing approximately 0.67-0.96 kg, were used in this experiment. Using a crossover design, each snake was given a single 10 mg/kg i.v. dose of azithromycin via cardiocentesis. For the oral study, each snake was dosed at 10 mg/kg using the same i.v. azithromycin preparation. Blood samples were collected prior to dosing and at 1, 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr post-azithromycin administration.
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