Pharmacokinetics and efficacy of triclabendazole in goats with induced fascioliasis.

The pharmacokinetics of triclabendazole were evaluated in normal goats and in goats artificially infected with Fasciola hepatica. Triclabendazole and its metabolites were determined using a novel high performance liquid chromatographic method with fluorimetric detection after solid-phase extraction. In normal goats triclabendazole given orally was metabolized rapidly to its sulphoxide and sulphone derivatives. The maximum plasma concentrations for the sulphoxide and sulphone were similar ranging from 9 to 19 micrograms/ml and these were attained at an average 12.8 and 25.6 h, respectively, after administration. Both metabolites were eliminated slowly from plasma with elimination half-lives of 22.4 h for the sulphoxide and 19.4 h for the sulphone. They persisted at measurable concentrations in plasma for up to seven days. In milk, the two metabolites occurred in low concentrations and none of them was detectable (sulphoxide less than 0.04 microgram/ml, sulphone less than 0.02 microgram/ml) after seven days. The pharmacokinetic behaviour of triclabendazole was not altered in animals with fascioliasis. Efficacy of the drug against immature (six-week) F. hepatica was 100%.