Nonprescription fish antibiotics:Why Is This Important?

Abstract

Background: Patients at a dental school were observed to self-medicate for dental pain and presumed infection with nonprescribed ornamental fish antibiotics, thereby circumventing professional health care. This study determined if the human-approved antibiotics, amoxicillin and cephalexin, were present in the nonprescribed, over-the-counter fish antibiotics. Methods: Human-grade prescribed and over-the-counter commercially-available fish antimicrobials (amoxicillin, cephalexin) were analyzed by using high-performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet-visible detection following US Pharmacopeia (USP) protocols. The contents of 20 capsules of each type were combined and dissolved in a carrier fluid to a concentration of 1 mg/mL. Samples were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography at a flow rate of 1.5 mL/min using isocratic mobile phase conditions. Results: All products contained the equivalent of not less than 90.0% and not more than 120.0% of their labeled contents, within the USP standards. Although no major impurities were identified, there was evidence of several as-yet unidentified excipient ingredients. Results confirm that the human-grade prescribed and nonprescribed over-the-counter fish antibiotics tested match USP standards and are pharmacologically indistinguishable. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the major component of the amoxicillin and cephalexin capsules marketed for fish contain their purported levels of antibiotics.

Keywords

• Amoxicillin
• cephalexin
• drug abuse
• drugs/pharmacology
• self-medication