Flunixin residues in milk after intravenous treatment of dairy cattle with (14)C-flunixin

Flunixin meglumine is used in veterinary medicine as an alternative to narcotic analgesics and as an antiinflammatory agent. Eight Holstein dairy cows were dosed intravenously once daily on three consecutive days with (14)C-flunixin meglumine at approximately 2.2 mg of flunixin free acid/kg of body weight. Milk was collected twice daily to determine the decline of the total radioactive residues (TRR) in milk and to identify or characterize residue components. TRR in milk declined rapidly and averaged 66, 20, and 14 ppb, respectively, for the first, second, and third milkings after administration of the last dose. Milk was extracted, and the extracts were examined for radioactive residues. Mean extractability of milk TRR was always greater than 80%. Flunixin and 5-hydroxyflunixin were identified by coelution with analytical standards using reverse phase HPLC. These two residues were the main radioactive residues found in milk and together accounted for 64, 37, and 44% of the extractable residues, for the first, second, and third milkings, respectively, after administration of the last dose. The presence of 5-OH flunixin in milk was confirmed by HPLC/MS/MS.