Disposition, elimination, and bioavailability of phenytoin and its major metabolite in horses.
OBJECTIVE
To determine pharmacokinetics and excretion of phenytoin in horses.


METHODS
6 adult horses.


METHODS
Using a crossover design, phenytoin was administered (8.8 mg/kg of body weight, IV and PO) to 6 horses to determine bioavailability (F). Phenytoin also was administered orally twice daily for 5 days to those same 6 horses to determine steady-state concentrations and excretion patterns. Blood and urine samples were collected for analysis.


RESULTS
Mean (+/- SD) elimination half-life following a single IV or PO administration was 12.6+/-2.8 and 13.9+/-6.3 hours, respectively, and was 11.2+/-4.0 hours following twice-daily administration for 5 days. Values for F ranged from 14.5 to 84.7%. Mean peak plasma concentration (Cmax) following single oral administration was 1.8+/-0.68 microg/ml. Steady-state plasma concentrations following twice-daily administration for 5 days was 4.0+/-1.8 microg/ml. Of the 12.0+/-5.4% of the drug excreted during the 36-hour collection period, 0.78+/-0.39% was the parent drug phenytoin, and 11.2+/-5.3% was 5-(phydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin (p-HPPH). Following twice-daily administration for 5 days, phenytoin was quantified in plasma and urine for up to 72 and 96 hours, respectively, and p-HPPH was quantified in urine for up to 144 hours after administration. This excretion pattern was not consistent in all horses.


CONCLUSIONS
Variability in F, terminal elimination-phase half-life, and Cmax following single or multiple oral administration of phenytoin was considerable. This variability makes it difficult to predict plasma concentrations in horses after phenytoin administration.
Soma
L R
LR
School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square 19348, USA.
Uboh
C E
CE
Guan
F
F
Birks
E K
EK
Teleis
D C
DC
Rudy
J A
JA
Tsang
D S
DS
Watson
A O
AO
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D019540:Area Under Curve; D001682:Biological Availability; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D006207:Half-Life; D006736:Horses / Q000378:metabolism*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D010672:Phenytoin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000652:urine; D011897:Random Allocation; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D000927:Anticonvulsants; C027364:5-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-5-phenylhydantoin; D010672:Phenytoin