Correlation between Pharmacokinetics of Praziquantel and Extermination of Microcotyle sebastis (Monogenea) in Cultured Rockfish Sebastes schlegeli

To investigate the re-treatment time of Microcotyle sebastis by oral administration of praziquantel, the residue levels of praziquantel in plasma of rockfish Sebastes schlegeli administered orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg B.W. were analyzed by reversed-phase HPLC, and the concentrations of praziquantel in the plasma were correlated with the extermination of M. sebastis. The absorption and depletion of praziquantel in the blood of rockfish were fast and the residual concentrations of praziquantel declined below $4\mu g/mL$ within 24 hr post treatment. Most of worms were exterminated within 3 hr after oral administration of praziquantel, however, a small number of M. sebastis were not killed by the treatment until end of the experiment. Considering fast drop of praziquantel in blood and extermination pattern of M. sebastis in the present results, retreatment at an interval of 9-12 hr would be effective for eradication of M. sebastis.