Effect of aflatoxicosis on the kinetic behaviour of ceftiofur in chickens

The kinetic behaviour of ceftiofur sodium was studied in aflatoxin treated chickens for 30 days and in non-treated chickens, following oral, intramuscular and intravenous administrations of 10 mg kg(-1) bodyweight of ceftiofur. Aflatoxicosis resulted in a more significant decrease in ceftiofur serum concentration in the treated than in non-treated chickens following oral and intravenous administrations. The kinetic behaviour showed that following intravenous injection the elimination half life time t0.5 (el) was significantly shorter in the treated chickens (1.75+/-0.03 hours) than in non-treated chickens (4.23+/-0.05 hours). Following oral administration, the kinetic behaviour revealed a longer absorption half-life [t0.5 (ab), 62.74+/-1.59 minutes] in the treated chickens than in non-treated (50.46+/-5.07 minutes), with lower Cmax 23.25+/-0.42 microg ml(-1) at long tmax (3.05+/-0.07 hour) in treated chickens than in non-treated (Cmax 27.83+/-1.28 at tmax 2.39+/-0.07 hours).