Pharmacokinetics of pergolide after intravenous administration to horses.

Objective: To determine the pharmacokinetics of pergolide after IV administration to horses.

Animals: 8 healthy adult horses.

Procedures: Pergolide mesylate was administered IV at a dose of 20 μg/kg (equivalent to 15.

Determination of pergolide in horse plasma by UPLC-MS/MS for pharmacokinetic applications.

Pergolide, an ergot-derived dopamine D2 receptor agonist, is used extensively as an orally administered treatment for pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in horses. One of the barriers associated with pergolide determinations in plasma for pharmacokinetic applications has been the technically demanding requirement for sensitivity. The objective of our work was to develop a simple assay for the determination of pergolide in plasma and demonstrate its potential application in the study of pergolide pharmacokinetics (PK) in horses.