Pharmacokinetics of danofloxacin after single dose intravenous, intramuscular and subcutaneous administration to loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta.

The single-dose disposition kinetics of the antibiotic danofloxacin were determined in clinically normal loggerhead turtles (n = 6) after intravenous (IV), subcutaneous (SC) and intramuscular (IM) administration of 6 mg kg(-1) bodyweight. Danofloxacin concentrations were determined by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. The concentration-time data were analyzed by non-compartmental kinetic methods. Steady-state volume of distribution, and total body clearance of danofloxacin after IV administration were estimated to be 1.02 +/- 0.17 1 kg(-1) and 0.11 +/- 0.01 1 h(-1) kg(-1), respectively. Following IM and SC administration, danofloxacin achieved maximum plasma concentrations of 10.25 +/- 4.59 and 10.35 +/- 4.45 mg l(-1) at 1.20 +/- 0.52 and 1.46 +/- 0.48 h, respectively. The absolute bioavailabilities after SC and IM routes were 98.72 +/- 11.73 and 104.81 +/- 14.97%, respectively. Danofloxacin shows a favourable pharmacokinetic profile in loggerhead turtles reflected by parameters such as a long half-life and a high bioavailability following a single dose of 6 mg kg(-1) by IM and SC routes; thus, it is likely that this treatment will be effective in loggerhead turtles with bacterial infections.