Pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin following oral administration in piperine, quercetin alone and both in combination pretreated broiler chickens

Various antibacterial drugs are substrates for drug metabolizing enzymes. They suffer from reduced bioavailability after oral administration in chickens. Herbal bio-enhancers increased the absorption of co-administered drugs. Hence, present study was planned to explore the bio-enhancing effect of piperine and quercetin pretreatment on pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin after oral administration in broiler chickens.

The pharmacokinetics of marbofloxacin was investigated following single dose (5 mg/kg) oral administration in piperine, quercetin alone and both in combination pretreated (10 mg/kg each, oral, 3 days) broiler chickens. The concentrations of marbofloxacin in plasma samples were analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography.

Following single oral administration of marbofloxacin, elimination half-lives (t_1/2p) were 6.23±1.01, 5.69±0.39 and 7.71±0.59 h in piperine, quercetin and both in combination pretreated chickens, respectively. The elimination half-life (t_1/2(s), apparent volume of distribution (Vd_(area)/F) and mean residence time (MRT) were significantly (p <0.05) higher in combination pretreated chickens as compared to piperine and quercetin alone groups. Piperine and quercetin combined pretreatment has improved the pharmacokinetics profile of marbofloxacin after oral administration in broiler chickens. Findings of the study are expedient for the development of protocol for use of bio-enhancers with antibiotics in broiler chickens.