PHARMACOKINETICS OF AMOXICILLIN CLAVULANIC ACID COMBINATION AFTER INTRAVENOUS AND ORAL-ADMINISTRATION IN GOATS/

The intravenous and oral pharmacokinetics of an amoxicillin and clavul anic acid combination (20 mg/kg of sodium amoxicillin and 5 mg/kg of p otassium clavulanate) were studied in six goats, After intravenous adm inistration the pharmacokinetics of both drugs could be described by a n open two-compartment model, Amoxicillin had a greater distribution v olume (0.19 +/- 0.01 l/kg) than clavulanic acid (0.15 +/- 0.01 l/kg), whereas the distribution and elimination constants were higher for the latter, which was eliminated more quickly than amoxicillin, After ora l administration of both drugs their pharmacokinetic behaviour was bes t described by an open one-compartment model with first-order absorpti on, Elimination half-lives were twice as long after oral (2.15 +/- 0.2 0 h and 1.94 +/- 0.16 h for amoxicillin and clavulanic acid respective ly) than after intravenous administration (1.20 +/- 0.16 h and 0.86 +/ - 0.09, respectively), An apparent 'flip-flop' situation was evident i n this study, Bioavailability was 27% for amoxicillin and 50% for clav ulanic acid.