EFFECT OF AFLATOXICOSIS ON THE KINETIC-BEHAVIOR OF CEFTIOFUR IN CHICKENS

The kinetic behaviour of ceftiofur sodium was studied in aflatoxin tre ated chickens for 30 days and in non-treated chickens, following oral, intramuscular and intravenous administrations of 10 mg kg(-1) bodywei ght of ceftiofur. Aflatoxicosis resulted in a more significant decreas e in ceftiofur serum concentration in the treated than in non-treated chickens following oral and intravenous administrations. The kinetic b ehaviour showed that following intravenous injection the elimination h alf life time t(0.5 (el)) was significantly shorter in the treated chi ckens (1.75 +/- 0.03 hours) than in non-treated chickens (4.23 +/- 0.0 5 hours). Following oral administration, the kinetic behaviour reveale d a longer absorption half-life [t(0.5 (ab)), 62.74 +/- 1.59 minutes] in the treated chickens than in non-treated (50.46 +/- 5.07 minutes), with lower C-max 23.25 +/- 0.42 mu g ml(-1) at long t(max) (3.05 +/- 0 .07 hour) in treated chickens than in non-treated (C-max 27.83 +/- 1.2 8 at t(max) 2.39 +/- 0.07 hours).