Abstract

Inflammatory and infectious diseases are the most frequently diagnosed pathologies in elasmobranchs maintained under human care, often requiring prolonged multiple administrations of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID).^1,2 Hitherto, there are currently no published multiple-dose pharmacokinetic studies with any NSAID in fish. Multiple administration protocols with meloxicam seem unfavorable in teleost due to its short elimination half-life after 1 mg/kg IM administration to Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) (1.8 h) and to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) (1.9 h).^3,4 However, previous single-dose pharmacokinetic studies performed with 0.5 and 1.5 mg/kg IM meloxicam in nursehound shark (Scyliorhinus stellaris) provided promising results with longer elimination half-lives (11.3 and 16 h, respectively).^5,6 The present study evaluated the pharmacokinetic properties of meloxicam when administered at 1.5 mg/kg IM SID for 7 days to a group of eight clinically healthy adult S. stellaris. Samples consisting of 0.4 ml blood were collected at 2.5 h and 24 h after each administration (previously determined mean times for maximum and minimum concentrations, respectively). Blood plasma was processed using high-performance liquid chromatography to determine meloxicam concentrations. In our study, the mean plasma concentration of meloxicam at steady state was 3.02 µg/ml at peak and 1.76 µg/ml at trough samplings. No drug accumulation was observed, and no adverse effects associated with meloxicam administration were detected. These results highlight the important interspecific differences with meloxicam pharmacokinetics in fish, reveal that a multiple-dosage protocol could be plausible in terms of drug kinetics, and support the realization of further pharmacodynamic and efficacy studies with meloxicam in elasmobranchs.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the team of all professionals working at Oceanogràfic Aquarium for their excellent work in caring for animals and the great help provided to develop this study.

*Presenting author

Literature Cited

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2.  Mylniczenko N. Pharmacology of elasmobranchs: updates and techniques. In: Smith M, Warmolts D, Thoney D, Hueter R, Murray M, Ezcurra J, eds. The Elasmobranch Husbandry Manual II: Recent Advances in the Care of Sharks, Rays, and their Relatives. Columbus, OH: Ohio Biological Survey Inc.; 2017: 289–302.

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4.  Corum O, Terzi E, Durna Corum D, Uney K. Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of meloxicam in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) broodstock following intravascular, intramuscular, and oral administrations. J Vet Pharmacol Ther. 2022;45:213–219.

5.  Morón-Elorza P, Rojo-Solís C, Álvaro-Álvarez T, Valls-Torres M, García-Párraga D, Encinas T. Pharmacokinetics of the analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam after multiple 1.5 mg/kg administration to nursehound shark (Scyliorhinus stellaris). Vet Anaesth Analg. 2022;51(1):71–79.

6.  Morón-Elorza P, Rojo-Solís C, Álvaro-Álvarez T, Valls-Torres M, García-Párraga D, Encinas T. Pharmacokinetic studies in elasmobranchs: meloxicam administered at 0.5 mg/kg using intravenous, intramuscular and oral routes to large-spotted catsharks (Scyliorhinus stellaris). Front Vet Sci. 2022;9:845555.