title: Pharmacokinetics of flunixin meglumine in donkeys, mules, and horses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare serum disposition of flunixin meglumine after i.v. administration of a bolus to horses, donkeys, and mules.
  
  
  METHODS
  3 clinically normal horses, 5 clinically normal donkeys, and 5 clinically normal mules.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected at time zero (before) and 5, 10, 15, 30, and 45 minutes, and at 1, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2, 2.5, 2.75, 3, 3.5, 4, 4.5, 5, 5.5, 6, and 8 hours after i.v. administration of a bolus of flunixin meglumine (1.1 mg/kg of body weight). Serum was analyzed in duplicate by the use of high-performance liquid chromatography for determination of flunixin meglumine concentrations. The serum concentration-time curve for each horse, donkey, and mule were analyzed separately to estimate noncompartmental pharmacokinetic variables
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean (+/-SD) area under the curve for donkeys (646 +/- 148 minute x microg/ml) was significantly less than for horses (976 +/- 168 minute x microg/ml) or for mules (860 +/- 343 minute x microg/ml). Mean residence time for donkeys (54.6 +/- 7 minutes) was significantly less than for horses (110 +/- 24 minutes) or for mules (93 +/- 30 minutes). Mean total body clearance for donkeys (1.78 +/- 0.5 ml/kg/h) was significantly different from that for horses (1.14 +/- 0.18 ml/kg/h) but not from that for mules (1.4 +/- 0.5 ml/kg/h). Significant differences were not found between horses and mules for any pharmacokinetic variable.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant differences exist with regard to serum disposition of flunixin meglumine in donkeys, compared with that for horses and mules. Consequently, flunixin meglumine dosing regimens used in horses may be inappropriate for use in donkeys.
authors.affiliation: Texas Veterinary Medical Center, Texas A & M University, College Station 77843, USA.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Coakley
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Peck
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: N S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Matthews
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Mealey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D003002:Clonixin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D018397:Equidae; D005260:Female; D006736:Horses; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D013045:Species Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; C014558:flunixin meglumine; D003002:Clonixin