Effect of Gender on the Pharmacokinetics of Meloxicam in Sheep

The objective of this investigation was to ascertain the impact of gender on the pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in sheep. The research was carried out on six female and six male Romanov sheep. Meloxicam was administered intravenously to sheep at a dose of 1 mg/kg. To determine the change in meloxicam concentration with time, blood samples were collected at 17 different time points up to 120 h after administration. Meloxicam concentrations in plasma samples were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. The pharmacokinetics of meloxicam in sheep was found to differ according to gender. The values of total clearance (Cl_T), volume of distribution at steady state (V_dss), and elimination half-life (t_1/2λz) of meloxicam in female sheep were 4.51 ± 0.56 mL/h/kg, 69.18 ± 6.68 mL/kg, and 11.96 ± 0.33 h, respectively. Compared to female sheep, Cl_T and V_dss were increased, and t_1/2λz was decreased in male sheep. Plasma concentration and area under the curve of meloxicam were higher in female sheep. The findings of this study indicate that meloxicam's pharmacokinetics are not uniform across genders in Romanov sheep, with notable variations in plasma concentration, clearance, and half-life. These variations emphasize the importance of considering gender in the pharmacotherapy of sheep, potentially guiding clinicians in adjusting dosages for optimal therapeutic outcomes and maintaining food safety standards.