Knowledge of amoxicillin (AMX) pharmacokinetics (PK) and tissue residues in fish, which is necessary for prudent drug use, remains limited. The study aimed to explore the PK characteristics of AMX in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared at 25 and 30 °C as well as to determine optimal dosages and drug withdrawal time (WDT). In the PK investigation, the fish received a single dose of 40 mg/kg AMX via oral gavage, and the optimal dosage was determined by the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic approach. In the tissue residue study, the fish were orally gavaged with 40 mg/kg/day AMX once daily for 5 days and the WDT was established by the linear regression analysis. The results revealed the temperature-dependent drug elimination; the clearance relative to bioavailability (CL/F) and elimination half-life at 30 °C (0.180 L/kg/h and 6.06 h, respectively) were about twice those at 25 °C (0.090 L/kg/h and 10.49 h, respectively). The optimal dosages at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 2 μg/mL were 10.97 (25 °C) and 41.03 (30 °C) mg/kg/day, respectively. Finally, following the multiple oral administration, the muscle/skin residue of AMX on day 1 after the last dosing at 25 and 30 °C were 548 and 264 ng/g, respectively. The average tissue residues were depleted below the maximum residue limits (MRL) of 50 μg/kg on day 5 (25 °C) and 3 (30 °C), respectively, and the WDT were 6 and 4 days when rearing at 25 and 30 °C, respectively. This knowledge serves as a practical guideline for responsible use of AMX in treating bacterial diseases in Nile tilapia aquaculture.
Keywords: Antimicrobials; aquaculture; fish; penicillins; tissue residue; withdrawal period.