[Demonstration of activity of two potentiated sulfonamides in feces of horses after oral or intravenous administration].

The study sought to assess the antibacterial activity of two potentiated sulfonamides in horse feces following both oral and intravenous administration. The results showed measurable antibacterial activities, demonstrating that the administration method does not significantly affect the impact on gastrointestinal flora.

Objective of the Study

• The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of two trimethoprim-potentiated sulfonamides when administered either orally or intravenously in horses.

Antibiotics Used

• The utilized antibiotics were Sulfadimethoxine/Trimethoprim for oral administration and Sulfadoxine/Trimethoprim for intravenous administration, both from Hoechst AG, Frankfurt.
• Both drugs were administered in a dose proportionate to the animal’s body weight, at a rate of 20 mg per kg.

Investigation Results

• The research revealed that both administration methods led to detectable antibacterial activity in the feces of the horses.
• These results suggested that the route of sulfonamide administration may not significantly affect the risk of antibiotic-induced alterations to the gastrointestinal flora of horses.

Detection Methodology

• For the measurement of the antibiotics’ presence and impact, the detectives used a method based on German guidelines for sulfonamide residues in meat samples.
• However, the testing procedure underwent some modifications to cater to its adaption for the examination of feces samples instead of meat samples.