DIMINAZENE - BIOAVAILABILITY AND DISPOSITION IN BOVINE CALVES

The pharmacokinetic behaviour of diminazene diaceturate in plasma was studied in 6 clinically healthy crossbred female Jersey calves. Follow ing i/m injection @ 16 mg/kg, the volume of distribution was 1.254 +/- 0.076 L/kg, total body clearance averaged 0.564 +/- 0.090 ml/kg/min a nd elimination half-life was 31.604 +/- 2.296 hr. At 0.5 hr following the injection, the plasma diminazene concentration was 20.91 +/- 1.16 mu g/ml which gradually declined to 6.75 +/- 0.80 mu g/ml at 24 hr. Th e study indicated that an initial i/m dose of 16 mg/kg followed by 8 m g/kg at 48-72 hr may be safe and effective in cases of babesiosis.