Pharmacotherapeutic group: antimicrobials for systemic use, macrolides
ATC vet code: QJ01FA91
Pharmacodynamic properties
Tilmicosin is a mainly bacteriocidal semi-synthetic antibiotic of the macrolide group. It is believed to affect bacterial protein synthesis.
Tilmicosin has a wide spectrum of activity against Gram-positive organisms and is particularly active against Pasterurella, Actinobacillus (Haemophilus) and Mycoplasma organisms of bovine, porcine and avian origin. Tilmicosin has some activity against certain Gram-negative micro-organisms. Cross resistance between tilmicosin and other macrolide antibiotics has been observed. Macrolides inhibit protein synthesis by reversibly binding to the 50S ribosomal subunitl. Bacterial growth is inhibited by induction of the separation of peptidyl transfer RNA from the ribosome during the elongation phase. Ribosomal methylase, encoded by the erm gene, can precipitate resistance to macrolides by alteration of the ribosomal binding site. The gene that encodes for an efflux mechanism, mef, also brings about a moderate degree of resistance. Resistance is also brought about by an efflux pump that actively rids the cells of the macrolide. This efflux pump is chromosomally mediated by genes referred to as acrAB genes. Resistance of Pseudomonas species and other Gramnegative bacteria, enterococci and staphylococci may be precipitated by chromosomally controlled alteration of permeability or uptake of the drug.
Pharmacokinetic properties
When administered orally to chickens, turkeys and pigs with drinking water and to calves with milk replacer, tilmicosin is absorbed and moves rapidly out of the serum into areas of low pH. This results in very low serum concentrations, but detectable levels of tilmicosin are found in lung tissues as early as 6 hours after starting the treatment. In chickens and turkeys, tilmicosin is also detected in pooled air sac tissue as early as 6 hours after starting the treatment. It is also known that tilmicosin is concentrated in alveolar macrophages of swine, When administered orally to calves tilmicosin is detected in lungs after 6 hours and remains at the therapeutic level up to 60 hours from the last dose.