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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Anthelmintic Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics of Ivermectin Pas...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2020; 10(6); 934; doi: 10.3390/ani10060934

Anthelmintic Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics of Ivermectin Paste after Oral Administration in Mules Infected by Cyathostomins.

Abstract: Ivermectin (IVM) is an anthelmintic compound commonly used off-label in mules due to its broad-spectrum of activity. Despite the general use of IVM in mules with the same dose and route of administration licensed for horses, significant pharmacokinetic differences might exist between horses and mules, as already observed for donkeys. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic profile and anthelmintic efficacy of an oral paste of IVM in mules naturally infected with cyathostomins. Fifteen adult mules with fecal egg counts (FEC) ≥200 eggs per gram (EPG), with exclusive presence of cyathostomins, were included in the study. All mules were orally treated with IVM according to the manufacturer's recommended horse dosage (200 µg/kg body weight). FECs were performed before (day-10 and day-3) and after treatment at days 14 and 28 by using a modified McMaster method. The FEC reduction (FECR%) was also calculated. Blood samples were collected from five animals at various times between 0.5 h up to 30 days post treatment to determine pharmacokinetic parameters. The maximum IVM serum concentration (Cmax) was 42.31 ± 10.20 ng/mL and was achieved at 16.80 ± 9.96 hours post-treatment (Tmax), area under the curve (AUC) was 135.56 ± 43.71 ng × day/mL. FECR% remained high (>95%) until the 28th day.
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Publication Date: 2020-05-28 PubMed ID: 32481576PubMed Central: PMC7341313DOI: 10.3390/ani10060934Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research evaluates the effectiveness and pharmacokinetic properties of an anthelmintic drug called Ivermectin, administered orally to mules, primarily to tackle a specific kind of parasite infection, cyathostomins.

Understanding the Research Context

  • This study aims to understand how Ivermectin, a popularly used anti-parasitic drug on mules, works in their body regarding pharmacokinetics – the study of how an organism affects a drug.
  • While Ivermectin is commonly applied to mules like it is for horses, the researchers sought to confirm if this was the most effective method due to potential physiological differences between these animals.

Methodology of the Research

  • For the study, fifteen adult mules with proven fecal egg counts (FEC) of at least 200 eggs per gram (EPG), which indicates infection by Cyathostomins, were chosen.
  • The drug was administered orally as per the manufacturer’s recommended dosage for horses.
  • Pre and post-treatment fecal egg count recording were done to assess the drug’s effectiveness in reducing parasitic infection.
  • Blood samples were taken from five of the mules at various points after the treatment. This collection spanned from half an hour to a full 30 days after treatment.

Results of the Research

  • The pharmacokinetic assessments showed that the maximum Ivermectin concentration in mule serum was 42.31 ± 10.20 ng/mL, reached approximately 16.80 ± 9.96 hours after the treatment.
  • The area under the curve (AUC) value, which represents the drug’s total exposure in the body, was calculated to be 135.56 ± 43.71 ng × day/mL.
  • The drug’s efficacy was found to be high, shown by the fecal egg count reduction of over 95% during the 28 days after the treatment.

Significance of the Findings

  • The results suggest that oral administration of Ivermectin in mules, even at the dosage recommended for horses, is effective in treating Cyathostomins infections.
  • This study also offers an understanding of the pharmacokinetics involved when Ivermectin is administered to mules.
  • Such findings may support informed decisions regarding drug dosage modifications for different equine species in the future.

Cite This Article

APA
(2020). Anthelmintic Efficacy and Pharmacokinetics of Ivermectin Paste after Oral Administration in Mules Infected by Cyathostomins. Animals (Basel), 10(6), 934. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10060934

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
PII: 934

Researcher Affiliations

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 3 times.
  1. El-Saber Batiha G, Alqahtani A, Ilesanmi OB, Saati AA, El-Mleeh A, Hetta HF, Magdy Beshbishy A. Avermectin Derivatives, Pharmacokinetics, Therapeutic and Toxic Dosages, Mechanism of Action, and Their Biological Effects. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020 Aug 17;13(8).
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  2. Gernandt N, Wentzel C, van Staden D, Liebenberg W, Lemmer HJR, Gerber M. Therapeutic and Formulation Advances of Ivermectin in Veterinary and Human Medicine. Pharmaceutics 2025 Oct 25;17(11).
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  3. Martins-Bessa A, McLean AK. Advances in Donkey and Mule Research. Animals (Basel) 2024 Aug 1;14(15).
    doi: 10.3390/ani14152238pubmed: 39123764google scholar: lookup
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