Pharmacotherapeutic group: Antibacterials for systemic use;
Fluoroquinolones; Marbofloxacin.
ATC vet code: QJ01MA93
Pharmacodynamic properties
Marbofloxacin is a synthetic, bactericidal antimicrobial, belonging to the fluoroquinolone group which acts by inhibition of DNA gyrase. It is effective against a wide range of Gram positive bacteria (in particular Staphylococci, Streptococci) and Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Citrobacter freundii, Enterobacter cloacae, Serratia marcescens, Morganella morganii, Proteus spp, Klebsiella spp, Shigella spp, Pasteurella spp, Haemophilus spp, Moraxella spp, Pseudomonas spp, Brucella canis) as well as Mycoplasma spp.
Bacterial strains with a MIC ≤ 1 µg/ml are susceptible, strains with a MIC of 2 µg/ml are intermediately susceptible and strains with a MIC ≥ 4 µg/ml are resistant to marbofloxacin (CLSI, 2004).
Resistance to fluoroquinolones occurs mostly by chromosomal mutation with three mechanisms: decrease of the bacterial wall permeability, expression of efflux pump or mutation of enzymes responsible for molecule binding.
Marbofloxacin is not active against anaerobes, yeasts or fungi.
Pharmacokinetic particulars
After oral administration in dogs and cats at the recommended dose of 2 mg/kg, marbofloxacin is readily absorbed and reaches maximal plasma concentrations of 1.5 µg/ml within 2 hours
Its bioavailability is close to 100%.
It is weakly bound to plasma proteins (less than 10%), extensively distributed and in most tissues (liver, kidney, skin, lung, bladder, digestive tract) it achieves higher concentrations than in plasma. Marbofloxacin is eliminated slowly (t½ß = 14 h in dogs and 10h in cats) predominantly in the active form in urine (2/3) and faeces (1/3).