ANTIPYRINE DISPOSITION IN THE DEHYDRATED CAMEL

In the present study the effects of water deprivation in the camel (Camelus dromedarius) on the pharmacokinetic profile of antipyrine were assessed. A crossover design was used. The pharmacokinetics of antipyrine in adult and young camels were compared. Antipyrine was administered intravenously to young and adult female camels when water was available ad libitum and to the adult camels after 14 days of dehydration. The elimination half-life of antipyrine in watered adult camels was 136.5 +/- 16.7 min. The half-life of elimination and the mean residence time of antipyrine were significantly prolonged following dehydration. The observed effects of water deprivation were not a function of age, as the pharmacokinetic profile of antipyrine in young camels was similar to that of the adults, but more likely due to the changes in oxidative metabolic capacity of the liver as a result of a reduced general metabolism. The results of the present study also show that the intrinsic clearance of antipyrine is proportional to the camel's body weight, as previously shown for other mammalian species.