antibiotic administration to mice - (May/07/2009 )

Dear All,

I have to give Erythromycin antibiotics to mice (c57bl and balb/c) through their drinking water in concentration of 10 microgram per ml. I know that Erythromycin is not soluble in water, but is soluble in ethanol. I thought about making a concentrated stock solution of Erythromycin with ethanot and then diluting it into the mice drinking water, but I know that giving ethanol to mice is not recommanded...

Does anybody know if the Erythromycin is soluble in water in such low concerntration (10 microgram per ml)?

and - how active will the Erythromycin be in the drinking water after 24 hours?

Thanks!

Keren

keren b on May 7 2009, 04:39 PM said:

A water soluble form of erythromycin is available (erythromycin lactobiotinate also known as erythromycin glucoheptonate).

We administer this to patients as an iv infusion, so it should be fine in drinking water.

It is very cheap, stable in solution and available generically in 500 mg and 1 g vials. You can easily find the brand name in your country.

If you don´t work in a hospital, find a friendly MD to prescribe it for you.

Hope this helps

klinmed on May 7 2009, 11:06 AM said:

'

Thank you very much for your answer. Do you know if this form of erythromycin degrades before reaching the gut or if it's coated and stable?

Thanks

Keren

keren b on May 7 2009, 09:57 PM said:

You are thinking about enteric coated erythromycin tablets. These are used to minimize stomach upset and not to protect the antibiotic. The formulation I describe will remain fully active in the gut. Indeed, in the old days uncoated tablets that dissolved in the stomach were used in the clinic.

klinmed on May 7 2009, 02:44 PM said:

Thank you very much!