title: Evaluation of the in vivo behaviour of gentamicin sulphate ocular mini-tablets in ponies.
abstract: The in vivo behaviour of 5% gentamicin sulphate ocular mini-tablets (2-mm diameter, 6.525 mg weight) was compared with gentamicin eye drops in six ponies. Two mini-tablets were inserted on the bulbar conjunctiva of the right eye while a similar dose of gentamicin was administered via eye drops in the left eye. Irritation induced by the mini-tablets and the eye drops was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (0-10). Tears were sampled with ophthalmologic absorption triangles for 1 min for the determination of the concentration of gentamicin sulphate using a microbiological plate diffusion method. Irritation induced by the tablets was minor and clinically acceptable (overall median score of 1.7 +/- 1.4). Eye drops induced a sharp increase in gentamicin sulphate concentration (364.4 microg/mL after 5 min) followed by a fast decline (10.8 microg/mL after 60 min). The increase in concentration induced by the ocular mini-tablets was less pronounced (up to 56.2 microg/mL after 30 min) and followed by a gradual decrease; the concentration remained above 15 microg/mL for 8 h. Ocular 5% gentamicin sulphate mini-tablets are clinically well-tolerated in ponies, assuring a constant concentration in the tears for at least 8 h.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery and Anaesthesiology of Domestic animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium. frank.gasthuys@ugent.be
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gasthuys
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pockelé
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vervaet
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Weyenberg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: De Prijck
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pille
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vlaminck
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nelis
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Remon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006736:Horses / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009883:Ophthalmic Solutions; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*