Mammary and renal excretion of sulphadoxine and trimethoprim in cows.

DAVITIYANANDA, DANIS and FOLKE RASMUSSEN: Acta vet. scand. 1974, , 340–355. — In 21 experiments on 5 healthy, nonpregnant cows are sulphadoxine and trimethoprim infused intravenously for maintenance of constant levels of the drugs through the experimental periods. The experiments show that both sulphadoxine and trimethoprim are bound to the proteins in blood plasma and milk. Further it is demonstrated that sulphadoxine (an acid) is excreted into milk in concentrations lower than in blood plasma while trimethoprim (a base) is excreted into milk in concentrations higher than in blood plasma. Both results are consistent with the theory that drugs are excreted through the mammary gland by passive diffusion. Glomerular filtration and back-diffusion are both involved in the renal handling of sulphadoxine and trimethoprim. For trimethoprim active tubular secretion is also demonstrated. Both the mammary and renal handling of sulphadoxine as well as trimethoprim are influenced by the pH of milk and urine, respectively. The experiments underline that it is the unionized, non-protein-bound fraction of the drugs which diffuses through biological membranes. sulphadoxine; trimethoprim; mammary excretion; renal excretion; cow.