Disposition of orally administered levofloxacin in lipopolysaccharide induced febrile model of sheep

The disposition of levofloxacin was evaluated following its single dose oral administration (3 mg kg¹) in febrile sheep. The concentration of levofloxacin was measured using HPLC. The peak plasma concentration of 0.906 ± 0.043 μg/mL was observed at 4 h in febrile sheep. Following oral administration of the drug, the absorption (t.Ka) and elimination half-lives (t._1/2β) were 0.89± 0.09 and 4.47± 0.23 h, respectively. The mean apparent volume of distribution (Vd(_area)), area under plasma drug concentration-time curve (AUC(0-V)) and area under first moment curve (AUMC) were 2.63± 0.22 L/kg, 5.10± 0.23 μg.h/mL and 37.34± 1.24 μg.h2/mL, respectively. The mean value of total body clearance (ClB) of the drug was 0.41 ± 0.03 L/h/kg with mean residence time (MRT) of 7.35± 0.20 h.Levofloxacin showed mediumoral bioavailability in febrile sheep and PK-PD relationship indicated that the drug may be efficacious against susceptible bacteria with MIC d" 0.06μg/mL.