Oral bioavailability of bacampicillin in broilers and Turkeys

The pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of ampicillin (AMP) were determined in chickens and turkeys after a single intravenous (i.v.), and oral administrations. Thirty chickens and thirty turkeys received AMP (25 mg/kg) by iv. and oral administrations and administered oral bacampicillin (BAC) equivalent to 25 mg/kg of ampicillin. Blood samples were collected at time 0, 0.08, 0.16, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 h after drug administration. Plasma drug concentrations were determined by a validated high‐performance liquid chromatography method. Data were analyzed by noncompartmental methods. The mean elimination half‐life of ampicillin were 1.81 ± 0.18 h (i.v. AMP), 3.64 ± 2.07 (oral AMP), and 5.39 ± 1.54 h (oral BAC) (P= 0.024), respectively in chickens; and 2,44 ± 0,27 h (i.v. AMP), 2,53 ± 0,72 h (oral AMP), and 5,5 ± 0,79 h (oral BAC) (P <0.0001), respectively in turkeys. The oral bioavailability of ampicillin and bacampicillin was 25,9% and 44,6%; 19,09% and 44,2% in chickens and turkeys respectively. Considering the higher bioavailability of bacampicillin compared to ampicillin after oral administration; we think that it can be recommended as an easy and effective antibiotic for the treatment of bacterial infections in chickens and turkeys.