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Updated: Jul 19, 2026

Use of Rabbit Eyes in Pharmacokinetic Studies of Intraocular Drugs
10:02

Use of Rabbit Eyes in Pharmacokinetic Studies of Intraocular Drugs

Published on: July 23, 2016

Intravitreal clearance of moxifloxacin

Mohan N Iyer1, Feng He, Theodore G Wensel

  • 1Department of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.

Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society
|October 24, 2006
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Intravitreal moxifloxacin demonstrated rapid clearance in rabbit eyes with a half-life of 1.72 hours. Therapeutic levels persisted for up to 12 hours, suggesting potential for treating endophthalmitis.

Area of Science:

  • Ophthalmology
  • Pharmacokinetics
  • Microbiology

Background:

  • Endophthalmitis is a severe intraocular infection requiring prompt treatment.
  • Intravitreal antibiotics are crucial for achieving effective drug concentrations.
  • Moxifloxacin is a fluoroquinolone with broad-spectrum activity against common ocular pathogens.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the vitreous and aqueous humor clearance rate of a single intravitreal dose of moxifloxacin in rabbits.
  • To establish the pharmacokinetic profile of intravitreal moxifloxacin.
  • To assess the duration of therapeutic drug levels in ocular tissues.

Main Methods:

  • Rabbits received a single 200 microg/0.1 mL intravitreal injection of moxifloxacin.
  • Vitreous and aqueous humor samples were collected at various time points (1-48 hours) post-injection.
  • Moxifloxacin concentrations were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC).

Main Results:

  • Intravitreal moxifloxacin exhibited an exponential decay in concentration with a half-life of 1.72 hours.
  • Mean vitreous concentrations decreased from 120.49 microg/mL at 1 hour to 1.06 microg/mL at 12 hours.
  • Aqueous humor levels decreased from 10 microg/mL at 1 hour to undetectable levels by 12 hours.

Conclusions:

  • Moxifloxacin demonstrates rapid clearance from the rabbit vitreous, similar to ciprofloxacin.
  • Therapeutic concentrations of moxifloxacin are maintained in ocular tissues for up to 12 hours post-injection.
  • Intravitreal moxifloxacin holds promise as a treatment option for endophthalmitis due to its favorable pharmacokinetic profile and sustained therapeutic levels.

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