Pharmacokinetics of gallium maltolate after intragastric administration in neonatal foals.

OBJECTIVE To determine the pharmacokinetics of gallium maltolate (GaM) after intragastric administration in healthy foals. ANIMALS 6 healthy neonatal foals. PROCEDURES Each foal received GaM (20 mg/kg) by intragastric administration. Blood samples were obtained before (time 0) and at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hours after GaM administration for determination of serum gallium concentrations by use of inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy. RESULTS Mean +/- SD pharmacokinetic variables were as follows: peak serum gallium concentration, 1,079 +/- 311 ng/mL; time to peak serum concentration, 4.3 +/- 2.0 hours; area under the serum concentration versus time curve, 40,215 +/- 8,420 ng/mL/h; mean residence time, 39.5 +/- 17.2 hours; area under the moment curve, 1,636,554 +/- 931,458 ng([h](2)/mL); and terminal half-life, 26.6 +/- 11.6 hours. The mean serum concentration of gallium at 12 hours was 756 +/- 195 ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Gallium maltolate administered via nasogastric tube at a dose of 20 mg/kg to neonatal foals resulted in gallium serum concentrations considered sufficient to suppress growth or kill Rhodococcus equi in macrophages and other infected tissues.