Sulphadoxine and trimethoprim in goats and cows: absorption fraction, half-lives and the degrading effect of the ruminal flora

Oral administration of sulphadoxine to adult goats (100 mg/kg body weight) resulted in absorption of about two thirds from the gastrointestinal tract. The absorption rate was lowest in newborn kids and increased with increasing age. Following administration of sulphadoxine (40 mg/kg body weight) through a rumen fistula about 80% was absorbed in cows. Also the elimination rate for sulphadoxine was lower in newborn kids than in adult goats and increased with the age. Oral administration of the trimethorpim (TMP) to kids, goats (20 mg/kg body weight) and cows (8 mg/kg body weight) resulted in higher plasma concentrations in newborn kids than in the older age groups and the maximal concentration of TMP in the blood of adult goats and cows was lower than 0.2 μg/ml. In vitro experiments showed that trimethoprim may be degraded by ruminal microorganisms, but from experiments with oral administration of trimethoprim to cows it is concluded that metabolism in the cow's liver is at least as important as ruminal degradation.