Safety Assessment of Cefquinome on Repeated Administration in Buffalo Calves

Abstract

Experiment was performed on six healthy buffalo calves of either sex of age above 6 months and weighing between 80 to 120 kg each to study the safety of cefquinome after repeated intramuscular administration @ 2 mg/kg body weight. After repeated intramuscular administration of the drug, blood was collected from jugular vein on 0, 5^th, 10^th and 15^th day of drug administration and on 8^th day of last administration of drug in the EDTA containing tubes and clot activator tubes respectively for hematological and biochemical studies respectively. The biochemical studies such as estimation of SGOT/AST, SGPT/ALT, ALP, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen were carried out in blood plasma. It is found that there was no significant difference in hematological except Hb and PCV and biochemical parameters except ALT of buffalo calves on repeated administration of cefquinome. All the values reported in the present study were in the normal physiological range. The results on safety assessment indicated that there was no or very little effect which came to normal on 8th day after discontinuation of the treatment indicating cefquinome administration for fifteen consecutive days has no adverse effects or toxicity on buffalo calves which proved the safety of cefquinome at dosage rate of up to 2 mg/kg in buffalo calves.