Body fluid concentrations and pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol given to mares intravenously or by repeated gavage.

Serum concentrations and the pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol were determined in 6 healthy mares after a single IV administration (50 mg/kg of body weight) or after the 1st and 5th sequential intragastric (IG) administration (50 mg/kg/6 hours) of chloramphenicol. Synovial fluid, peritoneal fluid, CSF, and urinary concentrations of chloramphenicol after the IG administrations also were determined. Mean (+/- SEM) overall elimination rate constant (K) values for the IV, 1st IG, and 5th IG dosages were 0.42 +/- 0.064/hr, 0.42 +/- 0.049/hr, and 0.29 +/- 0.074/hr, respectively, and were not significantly different from one another (P greater than 0.05). Bioavailability was 40 +/- 8.6% after the 1st IG administration and was 21 +/- 5.2% after the 5th IG administration. Values for the area under the curve (AUC) for the 1st and 5th IG dosages were significantly different from the AUC value for the IV dosage, and the AUC value for the 5th IG dosage was significantly different from that for the 1st IG dosage. Chloramphenicol was administered to 2 mares in 6 consecutive doses; the first and last doses were given IV and the others were given IG. Mean K values after the 2 IV doses were 0.38 +/- 0.112/hr and 0.56 +/- 0.078/hr, which were not significantly different from each other or from the mean value for the IV dosage given to all 6 mares. Absorption of chloramphenicol decreased with repeated IG administrations, resulting in lower concentrations of chloramphenicol with subsequent administrations. Five consecutive IG doses of chloramphenicol were administered to 4 of the mares in a separate experiment and did not alter intestinal xylose absorption.