TISSUE PENETRATION OF SPARFLOXACIN IN A RAT MODEL OF EXPERIMENTAL ESCHERICHIA-COLI EPIDIDYMITIS

The epididymal, testicular, and prostatic tissue penetration of sparfl oxacin, a new quinolone, was assessed in a rat model of acute epididym itis. Seventy-two hours after injection of 0.1 ml (10(6) cfu/ml) of an Escherichia coli suspension into the right epididymis ,ia the right d uctus deferens, a single oral dose of sparfloxacin 50 mg/kg body weigh t was administered, One, 2, 4, 8, 12, and 14 h after administration th e animals were sacrificed and the sparfloxacin concentrations and ''ar eas under the curve'' (AUC(0.24) ) ill both epididymides, both testes, the prostate gland and in the serum were measured by bioassay: The hi ghest mean AUC(0.24) was found in the prostate gland, followed by left epididymis, right epididymis, serum, right testis, and left testis (1 90, 79, 60, 28, 12, and 9 mg/kg x h, respectively), Though there was n o statistically significant difference in the sparfloxacin concentrati on of both epididymides (p = 0.09), the mean AUC(0.24) was significant ly higher in the non-infected left epididymis (p < 0.0001), The AUC(0. 24) and sparfloxacin concentrations of the right infected epididymis w ere significantly higher than those observed in the serum (p < 0.0001) , In both testes, the AUC(0.24) and sparfloxacin concentrations were l ower than in the serum (p < 0.0001), however, the concentration exceed ed the AUC tenfold for approximately 20 h, It is concluded that the ph armacokinetic properties of sparfloxacin (good in vitro activity; high penetration into the prostate gland, testes, infected and non-0infect ed epididymides) make this drug a recommendable choice for the initial treatment of acute epididymitis caused by E. coli.