Pharmacokinetic parameters of ceftriaxone after single intravenous and intramuscular administration in camels (Camelus Dromedarius)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the plasma disposition kinetics of ceftriaxone in female camels (n = 5) following a single intravenous (i.v.) bolus or intramuscular (i.m.) injections at a dosage of 10 mg kg−1 body weight in all animals. A crossover design was carried out in two phases separated by 15 days. Jugular blood samples were collected serially for 48 h and the plasma was analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Following single i.v. injections the plasma concentration time curves of ceftriaxone were best fitted to a two-compartment model. The drug was rapidly distributed with half-life of distribution t1/2α of 0.24 ± 0.01 h and moderately eliminated with elimination rate constant and elimination half-life of 0.27 ± 0.13 h−1 and 2.57 ± 0.52 h, respectively. The volume of distribution at steady state (Vdss) was 0.32 ± 0.01 l kg−1 and the total body clearance (Cltot) was 0.11 ± 0.01 l kg−1 h−1, respectively. Following i.m. administration, the mean Tmax, Cmax, t1/2el and AUC values for plasma data were 1.03 ± 0.23 h, 21.54 ± 2.61 μg ml−1, 1.76 ± 0.03 h and 85.82 ± 11.21 μg ml−1 h−1, respectively. The i.m. bioavailability was 93.42 ± 21.4% and the binding percentage of ceftriaxone to plasma protein was moderate, ranging from 33% to 42% with an average of 34.5%.