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Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in plasma and urine of horses.
Abstract: To determine pharmacokinetic parameters for meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, in horses. Methods: 8 healthy horses. Methods: In the first phase of the study, horses were administered meloxicam once in accordance with a 2 x 2 crossover design (IV or PO drug administration; horses fed or not fed). The second phase used a multiple-dose regimen (daily oral administration of meloxicam for 14 days), with meloxicam administered at the recommended dosage (0.6 mg/kg). Plasma and urine concentrations of meloxicam were measured by use of validated methods with a limit of quantification of 10 ng/mL for plasma and 20 ng/mL for urine. Results: Plasma clearance was low (mean +/- SD; 34 +/- 0.5 mL/kg/h), steady-state volume of distribution was limited (0.12 +/- 0.018 L/kg), and terminal half-life was 8.54 +/- 3.02 hours. After oral administration, bioavailability was nearly total regardless of feeding status (98 +/- 12% in fed horses and 85 +/- 19% in nonfed horses). During once-daily administration for 14 days, we did not detect drug accumulation in the plasma. Meloxicam was eliminated via the urine with a urine-to-plasma concentration that ranged from 13 to 18. Concentrations were detected for a relatively short period (3 days) after administration of the final daily dose. Conclusions: Results of this study support once-daily administration of meloxicam regardless of the feeding status of a horse and suggest a period of at least 3 days before urine concentrations of meloxicam reach concentrations that could be used in drug control programs.
Publication Date: 2004-11-30 PubMed ID: 15566093DOI: 10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.1542Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Comparative Study
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
- Analytical Methods
- Anti-inflammatory
- Bioavailability
- Biological Half-Life
- Clinical Study
- Drug
- Equine Health
- High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
- Horses
- Intravenous Administration
- Meloxicam
- Metabolites
- NSAID
- Oral Administration
- Pharmaceuticals
- Pharmacokinetics
- Plasma
- Urine Analysis
- Veterinary Medicine
- Veterinary Research
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.
This study investigates the behaviour and interactions of meloxicam, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, within the bodies of horses. The outcome indicates that daily administration is effective without causing drug build-up within the system, and the drug can be most accurately measured in urine tests at least three days after the final dose.
Meloxicam Administration Methods
- The experiment involved eight healthy horses.
- The study was conducted in two phases – a single dose phase followed by a multiple-dose regimen.
- Within the single dose phase, the horses were administered meloxicam once following a 2 x 2 crossover design. The drug was either delivered intravenously (IV) or per orally (PO). Half of the horses were fed while the other half were not fed during this phase.
- The multiple-dose phase involved daily oral administration of meloxicam for 14 days, with the drug administered at the recommended dosage of 0.6 mg/kg.
Assessing Meloxicam Concentrations
- Plasma and urine concentrations of meloxicam were assessed using validated methods. The detection thresholds were 10 ng/mL in plasma and 20 ng/mL in urine.
- The findings showed that plasma clearance was low and steady-state volume of distribution was limited for meloxicam. The terminal half-life of the drug was on average 8.54 hours.
- After oral administration of the drug, bioavailability was nearly complete, irrespective of whether the horses had been fed or not.
Long Term Administration
- Resultant observations from once-daily administration for 14 days showed no drug accumulation within the plasma. Meloxicam was eliminated via the urine.
- Urine concentration of the drug varied from 13 to 18 times that of plasma concentration.
- The detectable concentration of meloxicam subsisted for a relatively shorter period in the urine (3 days) following cessation of the daily dosage regimen.
Conclusion
- The results corroborate the effectiveness of once-daily dosage administration of meloxicam, independent of the feeding status.
- It is recommended to allow a minimum period of three days for urine concentrations to reach measurable levels which can be useful in drug control or monitoring programs.
Cite This Article
APA
Toutain PL, Reymond N, Laroute V, Garcia P, Popot MA, Bonnaire Y, Hirsch A, Narbe R.
(2004).
Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in plasma and urine of horses.
Am J Vet Res, 65(11), 1542-1547.
https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.2004.65.1542 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- UMR 181 Physiopathologie et Toxicologie Expérimentales, INRA/ENVT, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse, 23 Chemin des Capelles, 31076 Toulouse, France.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / blood
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / pharmacokinetics
- Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / urine
- Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
- Cross-Over Studies
- Horses / metabolism
- Mass Spectrometry
- Meloxicam
- Thiazines / blood
- Thiazines / pharmacokinetics
- Thiazines / urine
- Thiazoles / blood
- Thiazoles / pharmacokinetics
- Thiazoles / urine
- Time Factors
Citations
This article has been cited 16 times.- Lemonnier LC, Thorin C, Meurice A, Dubus A, Touzot-Jourde G, Couroucé A, Leroux AA. Comparison of Flunixin Meglumine, Meloxicam and Ketoprofen on Mild Visceral Post-Operative Pain in Horses. Animals (Basel) 2022 Feb 21;12(4).
- Nixon E, Mays TP, Routh PA, Yeatts JL, Fajt VR, Hairgrove T, Baynes RE. Plasma, urine and tissue concentrations of Flunixin and Meloxicam in Pigs. BMC Vet Res 2020 Sep 16;16(1):340.
- Mallicote M, House AM, Sanchez LC. A review of foal diarrhoea from birth to weaning. Equine Vet Educ 2012 Apr;24(4):206-214.
- Meléndez DM, Marti S, Pajor EA, Sidhu PK, Gellatly D, Janzen ED, Schwinghamer TD, Coetzee JF, Schwartzkopf-Genswein KS. Pharmacokinetics of oral and subcutaneous meloxicam: Effect on indicators of pain and inflammation after knife castration in weaned beef calves. PLoS One 2019;14(5):e0217518.
- Woodland AN, Van der Saag D, Kimble B, White PJ, Govendir M, Lomax S. Plasma pharmacokinetic profile and efficacy of meloxicam administered subcutaneously and intramuscularly to sheep. PLoS One 2019;14(4):e0215842.
- Mendoza FJ, Serrano-Rodriguez JM, Perez-Ecija A. Pharmacokinetics of meloxicam after oral administration of a granule formulation to healthy horses. J Vet Intern Med 2019 Mar;33(2):961-967.
- Cagnardi P, Guccione J, Villa R, D'Andrea L, Di Loria A, Ferrante MC, Borriello G, Zicarelli L, Ciaramella P. Clinical efficacy and pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in Mediterranean buffalo calves (Bubalus bubalis). PLoS One 2017;12(10):e0187252.
- Dhondt L, Devreese M, Croubels S, De Baere S, Haesendonck R, Goessens T, Gehring R, De Backer P, Antonissen G. Comparative population pharmacokinetics and absolute oral bioavailability of COX-2 selective inhibitors celecoxib, mavacoxib and meloxicam in cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus). Sci Rep 2017 Sep 25;7(1):12043.
- Wright TL, Eshar D, McCullough C, Warner M, Kukanich B. Pharmacokinetics of Single-dose Subcutaneous Meloxicam Injections in Black-tailed Prairie Dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2017 Sep 1;56(5):539-543.
- Vivancos M, Barker J, Engbers S, Fischer C, Frederick J, Friedt H, Rybicka JM, Stastny T, Banse H, Cribb AE. Pharmacokinetics and bioequivalence of 2 meloxicam oral dosage formulations in healthy adult horses. Can Vet J 2015 Jul;56(7):730-6.
- Bauer C, Frost P, Kirschner S. Pharmacokinetics of 3 formulations of meloxicam in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis). J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2014 Sep;53(5):502-11.
- Ingrao JC, Johnson R, Tor E, Gu Y, Litman M, Turner PV. Aqueous stability and oral pharmacokinetics of meloxicam and carprofen in male C57BL/6 mice. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci 2013 Sep;52(5):553-9.
- Kimble B, Li KM, Govendir M. Quantitation of meloxicam in the plasma of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) by improved high performance liquid chromatography. J Vet Sci 2013;14(1):7-14.
- Coetzee JF, Mosher RA, KuKanich B, Gehring R, Robert B, Reinbold JB, White BJ. Pharmacokinetics and effect of intravenous meloxicam in weaned Holstein calves following scoop dehorning without local anesthesia. BMC Vet Res 2012 Sep 1;8:153.
- Kreuder AJ, Coetzee JF, Wulf LW, Schleining JA, KuKanich B, Layman LL, Plummer PJ. Bioavailability and pharmacokinetics of oral meloxicam in llamas. BMC Vet Res 2012 Jun 21;8:85.
- Knych HK. Administration Studies in Equine Antidoping Research: Designing Scientific Investigations to Effectively Direct Medication Control in Racehorses. Drug Test Anal 2025 Sep;17(9):1560-1566.
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