Pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of enrofloxacin and its metabolite ciprofloxacin in the Chinese mitten-handed crab, Eriocheir sinensis

The pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite ciprofloxacin were investigated in the Chinese mitten-handed crab after a single intramuscular injection of enrofloxacin at 5.0 mg/kg body weight. The tissue concentrations of enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin were determined simultaneously by a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method. The data were analyzed with Practical Pharmacokinetic Program 3P97. The highest average concentrations of enrofloxacin in liver, muscle, gill, and hemolymph were 3.93, 12.42, 16.73, and 11.04 μg/g (ml), respectively. The elimination half-lives (t1/2β) for enrofloxacin were 92.42, 64.86, 38.80, and 52.39 h, respectively. The AUC0–∞ values for enrofloxacin were 304.80, 260.74, 288.30, and 269.24 μg h/ml, respectively. Ciprofloxacin could be detected in all four tissues. The respective values of main pharmacokinetics parameters Cmax, t1/2β, and AUC0–∞ were 0.52 μg/g (ml), 38.38 h, and 35.06 μg h/ml for liver; 0.24 μg/g (ml), 65.36 h, and 25.64 μg h/ml for muscle; 0.10 μg/g (ml), 112.88 h, and 11.57 μg h/ml for gill; and 0.30 μg/g (ml), 93.33 h, and 39.99 μg h/ml for hemolymph.