Metabolism of aceclofenac to diclofenac in the domestic water buffalo Bubalus bubalis confirms it as a threat to Critically Endangered Gyps vultures in South Asia.


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Type
Article
Change log
Authors
Chandramohan, S 
Mathesh, Karikalan 
Mallord, John W 
Naidoo, Vinny 
Mahendran, K 
Abstract

Vulture declines in South Asia were caused by accidental poisoning by the veterinary non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac. Although veterinary use of diclofenac has been banned, other vulture-toxic NSAIDs are legally available, including aceclofenac, which has been shown to metabolise into diclofenac in domestic cattle. We gave nine domestic water buffalo the recommended dose of aceclofenac (2 mg kg-1 body weight), collected blood at intervals up to 48 h, and carried out a pharmacokinetic analysis of aceclofenac and its metabolite diclofenac in plasma. Aceclofenac was rapidly converted to diclofenac, and was barely detectable in plasma at any sampling time. Diclofenac was present within 20 min, and peaked 4-8 h after dosing. Aceclofenac is a prodrug of diclofenac, and behaves similarly in domestic water buffalo as it did in domestic cattle, posing the same risk to vultures. We recommend an immediate ban on the veterinary use of aceclofenac across vulture-range countries.

Description
Keywords
Ecotoxicology, Liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry, NSAID, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Pharmacokinetics, Vulture declines, Animals, Cattle, Diclofenac, Buffaloes, Falconiformes, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal, Asia
Journal Title
Environ Toxicol Pharmacol
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
1382-6689
1872-7077
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Sponsorship
Funding was provided by the Haryana Forest Development Corporation.