UNIC researchers investigate drug interactions affecting veterinary drug residues in milk

Researchers from the University of Nicosia School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Life and Health Sciences have published a new study in the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, investigating how interactions between veterinary medicines may influence drug residues in milk.

The study examined the interaction between ivermectin and marbofloxacin, focusing on the ABCG2 transporter involved in drug secretion into milk. The research used computational modelling alongside in vivo observations and HPLC–PDA/MS analysis to explore potential transporter-mediated interactions and their relationship with marbofloxacin concentrations in sheep milk. Sheep receiving ivermectin before marbofloxacin showed significantly lower marbofloxacin concentrations in milk.

Reflecting on the significance of the findings, the study’s corresponding author, Dr Manos C. Vlasiou, said:

‘This work demonstrates how computational and experimental approaches can complement each other in addressing questions relevant to veterinary drug residues. Investigating how interactions between veterinary medicines may affect their disposition is important for veterinary pharmacology and food safety, while also contributing to the scientific evidence relevant to EFSA’s broader objectives for consumer protection and chemical risk assessment across the food chain.’

The study was authored by Konstantinos V. Arsenopoulos, Evroula Hapeshis, Elias Papadopoulos, and Manos C. Vlasiou.

Read the full article in the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.  https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvp.70113