title: Efficacy of guar gum-based ronidazole capsules as a treatment for Tritrichomonas foetus infection in cats.
abstract: Objectives The aims of the study were to determine the in vitro drug release of guar gum-coated capsules of ronidazole, and to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and efficacy of this formulation for the treatment of cats naturally infected with Tritrichomonas foetus. Methods The pharmacokinetics of ronidazole were evaluated in five healthy cats and five cats infected with T foetus. In a second step, the clinical efficacy of these capsules was evaluated by a controlled, randomised, double-blind clinical trial performed in 47 infected cats from French catteries. In this study, cats were randomly allocated to either the ronidazole treatment group (n = 25) or a placebo group (n = 22). Ronidazole (30 mg/kg) q24h for 14 days was administered to the treated cats. After 14 days of treatment, the presence of T foetus was tested by conventional PCR assay. Results In the pharmacokinetic study, a delayed peak plasma concentration was observed in healthy and infected cats, with no significant difference between these two groups (mean geometric mean of 9 h for time to maximum plasma concentration [Tmax], 21.6 µg/ml for time to maximum plasma concentration [Cmax] and 467.4 μg/h/ml for the area under the curve [AUC] in healthy cats; and 9.4 h for Tmax, 17.1 µg/ml for Cmaxand 481 μg/h/ml for AUC in infected cats). In the clinical trial, T foetus was detected in 16% of cats from the treated group and 82% of cats from the placebo group at the end of the study ( P <0.001). No clinical signs of adverse drug reactions were observed. Conclusions and relevance Oral administration of guar gum-coated capsules of ronidazole at a dose of 30 mg/kg once daily for 14 days delays the peak plasma concentration and eradicates infection in most cases.
authors.affiliation: 1 Paris East University, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Livestock and Sport Medicine Unit, CHUVA, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Aurélien
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grellet
authors.affiliation: 2 Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, EA4169 'Basic, Clinical and Therapeutic Skin Barrier Function', SFR East Lyon Health, INSERM US 7, CNRS UMS 3453, ISPB, Laboratory of Galenic Industrial Pharmacy, FRIPHARM, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Seyf Eddine
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Makhlouf
authors.affiliation: 3 Paris East University, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Institute of Clinical Animal Research, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Loic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Desquilbet
authors.affiliation: 4 IDEXX Laboratory, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Fani
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hovhannessian
authors.affiliation: 1 Paris East University, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Livestock and Sport Medicine Unit, CHUVA, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Cassandre
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Boogaerts
authors.affiliation: 3 Paris East University, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Institute of Clinical Animal Research, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Vanessa
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dore
authors.affiliation: 1 Paris East University, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Livestock and Sport Medicine Unit, CHUVA, Maisons-Alfort, France.|5 Paris East University, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Unit of Parasitology-Mycology Dermatology, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Myriam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anthony
authors.affiliation: 6 VetAgro Sup Veterinary Campus of Lyon, Pharmacy and Toxicology Laboratory USC1233, Marcy l'Etoile, France.
authors.forename: Bernadette
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Espana
authors.affiliation: 6 VetAgro Sup Veterinary Campus of Lyon, Pharmacy and Toxicology Laboratory USC1233, Marcy l'Etoile, France.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Prouillac
authors.affiliation: 2 Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University, EA4169 'Basic, Clinical and Therapeutic Skin Barrier Function', SFR East Lyon Health, INSERM US 7, CNRS UMS 3453, ISPB, Laboratory of Galenic Industrial Pharmacy, FRIPHARM, Lyon, France.
authors.forename: Plamen
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kirilov
authors.affiliation: 5 Paris East University, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Unit of Parasitology-Mycology Dermatology, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Polack
authors.affiliation: 3 Paris East University, National Veterinary School of Alfort, Institute of Clinical Animal Research, Maisons-Alfort, France.
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perrot
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019540:Area Under Curve; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D002415:Cats; D005685:Galactans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008297:Male; D008351:Mannans / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D053149:Plant Gums / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012385:Ronidazole / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016835:Tritrichomonas foetus
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D005685:Galactans; D008351:Mannans; D053149:Plant Gums; D012385:Ronidazole; C007894:guar gum