engleski

Residual clenbuterol, beta-2-adrenergic agonist, in pig liver after long-term treatment with a growth-promoting dose

Clenbuterol is a beta-2-adrenergic agonist, the most widely used class of broncho-dilator drugs for the treatment of human asthma. In recent years, clenbuterol has been illegally used at 5- to 10-fold therapeutic doses as a growth-promoting agent that increases protein content and reduces fat deposition. Many countries have imposed total ban on the use of clenbuterol in food-producing animals, since its abuse may have adverse effects on animal welfare and induce pharmaco-toxicologic risk for consumer health. The aim of study was to assess the level of residual clenbuterol in the liver of female pigs after long-term treatment with a growth-promoting dose. Clenbuterol was obtained from Sigma-Aldrich-Chemie, Steinheim, Germany. A Ridascreen clenbuterol kit for enzyme immunoassay was provided by R-Biopharm, Darmstadt, Germany. All other chemicals for HPLC analysis were HPLC-grade. Female pigs (n=18, aged 6-7 months, body mass 80-100 kg) of a known breed were given 10 mg/kg body mass of clenbuterol as an intravenous injection twice daily for 40 days. After cessation of treatment, three animals were randomly sacrificed on days 1, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35, according to standard slaughterhouse procedure and pieces of liver were removed. The concentration of clenbuterol in liver homogenate was determined by a combination of high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). The results obtained pointed to prolonged retention of residual clenbuterol in the liver, thus the liver being a suitable matrix for the control of this growth-promoting agent abuse in animal production.

clenbuterol; pig; liver

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