Pharmacokinetics of Florfenicol in the Orange‐spotted Grouper, Epinephelus coioides, Following Oral Administration in Warm Seawater.

Pharmacokinetics of florfenicol were studied in the orange‐spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides, at 29.0 ± 1.0 C following oral administration of 5 or 10 mg/kg. Rapid absorption occurred, with a Tmax (time to reach the maximum concentration) of 2–12 h in plasma, muscle, skin, liver, bile, intestine, kidney, and gill. The absorption rate appeared to decrease with increasing dosage, according to the observed Tmax in plasma, muscle, skin, liver, and kidney. The maximum concentration (Cmax) in plasma was 6.04 ± 1.11 and 13.01 ± 6.18 μg/mL at 5 and 10 mg/kg, respectively, and was lower than that in the intestine but higher than in the other six tissues. A similar absorption and availability was found between the two doses by comparison of the ratios of area under the concentration–time curve (AUC) and dose among the tissues. A relatively low distribution level occurred in extravascular tissues based on the AUC values, with the exception of bile and intestine. The shortest and longest elimination half‐life (T1/2β) occurred in plasma (8.51 and 9.34 h at 5 and 10 mg/kg) and bile (18.13 and 17.63 h at 5 and 10 mg/kg), respectively. The elimination rate from plasma, muscle, and kidney was more rapid at 5 than at 10 mg/kg, according to the T1/2β; however, the opposite situation was observed in the remaining five tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]