Levofloxacin Residue Depletion and Hemato-Biochemical Effects in Broiler Chickens Following Repeated Intramuscular Administration: Assessment Using HPLC

Levofloxacin Residue Depletion and Hemato-Biochemical Effects in Broiler Chickens Following Repeated Intramuscular Administration: Assessment Using HPLC | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Levofloxacin Residue Depletion and Hemato-Biochemical Effects in Broiler Chickens Following Repeated Intramuscular Administration: Assessment Using HPLC Ahmed E. A. Mostafa This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6670562/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 12 Sep, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted 13 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract The extensive use of antibiotics in poultry farming has raised significant concerns regarding drug residues in edible tissues and their implications for public health. This study investigates the withdrawal period and physiological effects of levofloxacin following intramuscular administration in broiler chickens. Forty healthy male broilers were divided into four groups to receive levofloxacin at 10 mg/kg body weight for four consecutive days, with sampling performed at days 5, 7, and 9 post-treatment. Residues of levofloxacin in liver, kidney, and breast muscle were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Hematological and biochemical parameters were also evaluated, including liver and kidney function markers and antioxidant enzymes. The results revealed a significant presence of levofloxacin residues in all tissues on days 5 and 7, with levels falling below maximum residue limits by day 9. Hematological analysis showed temporary alterations in red and white blood cell counts, while biochemical tests indicated transient elevations in liver enzymes and oxidative stress markers, which normalized by day 9. These findings highlight the importance of observing an adequate withdrawal period to ensure food safety and support the recommendation that broiler tissues are safe for human consumption nine days after the last dose of levofloxacin. Biological sciences/Drug discovery Biological sciences/Physiology Health sciences/Diseases Health sciences/Medical research Levofloxacin residues Broiler chickens Withdrawal period Hematological and biochemical effects High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) Food safety Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Tables 1 to 26 are available in the Supplementary Files section. Supplementary Files chromatogram.wps 13SummaryConcl.doc ListOfTables.doc Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 12 Sep, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 15 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 12 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 12 Jul, 2025 Reviews received at journal 03 Jul, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 01 Jul, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 30 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 29 Jun, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 28 Jun, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 28 Jun, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 28 Jun, 2025 Editor invited by journal 27 Jun, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 24 Jun, 2025 First submitted to journal 23 May, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6670562","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":460989901,"identity":"07513192-3c64-4b68-bafb-f61befbf07a2","order_by":0,"name":"Ahmed E. A. 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