Food Chemistry

9.5 Veterinary Medicines and Feed Additives 487

Table 9.10.Animal medicines (selected structural formulas are presented in Fig. 9.3)

Number Class of compounds Example

Antibiotics

I Sulfonamides Sulfapyridine (Ia), Sulfathiazole (Ib)

II β-Lactams Amipicillin(IIa), Amoxycillin(IIb)

III Tetracyclines Tetraycline (IIIa), Oxytetracycline (IIIb)

IV Aminoglycosides Streptomycin (IVa), Dihydrostreptomycin (IVb)

V Macrolides Tiamulin (Vt)

VI Crinolines & Fluorochinolones Ciprofloxacin (VIa), Marbofloxacin (VIb)

Anthelmintics

VII Benzimidazoles Fenbendazole (VIIa), Mebendazole (VIIb)

VIII Tetrahydroimidathiazoles Levamisol (VIIIa), Morantel (VIIIb)

IX Avermectins Ivermectin (IX)

Coccidiostats

X Different classes Dicoquinat (Xa), Clopidol (Xb), Lasalocid (Xc)

only for therapy, but to a large extent for pro-
phylaxis and economic aims (e. g. to shorten ani-
mal growth or feeding time; to abate the risk of
losses). Veterinary preparation residues in food
are ingested by humans in low amounts but con-
tinuously and, hence, could be a health hazard.
This possibility was, for a long time, not carefully
examined. Therefore, as in the field of pesticides,
supporting and maintaining appropriate measures
(imposing legally binding regulations, analytical
control or supervision, elucidation of toxicologic-
al problems) has the ultimate aim of protecting
human health.
A brief outline of some important groups of vet-
erinary medicines follows. Table 9.10 and Fig. 9.3
provide a review of their use and chemical struc-
tures.

9.5.2 Antibiotics

Antibiotics are used prophylactically to stem in-
fections, e. g., in intensive mass animal farming
and in the therapy of infectious diseases. Since
they inhibit the growth of the microflora, which
is present in the digestive tract of livestock, feed
utilization is improved. The animals gain weight
faster. This application of antibiotics as growth
promoters is regarded critically in the EU and has
led to bans. A constant intake of antibiotics, even
at low doses, is a risk to human health since some
microorganisms may become resistant and aller-
gic reactions may develop.

9.5.3 Anthelmintics

In meadows and sheds, animals come into con-

tact with their excrements and subsequently with

worms in all developmental stages. Anthelmintics

are used against the resulting diseases caused by

worms.

9.5.4 Coccidiostats

The compounds of this class are added to animal

feed to combat coccidiosis diseases (such as en-

teritis or cachexie) caused by protozoans living

as parasites in intestines. Poultry and rabbits are

the animals most often affected. Residues may be

found in eggs.

9.5.5 Analysis

The aim of these analyses is:

• to detect medicines which are banned or
  not approved, e. g., chloramphenicol (XIt),
  nitrofurans (derivatives of 2-nitrofuran,
  e. g., nitrofurantoin, XIIt), fattening aids
  with estrogenic activity such as 17-estradiol
  (XIIIt), diethylstilbestrol (XIVt), zeranol
  (XVt).


• to check if the residue of an approved thera-
  peutic agent is still within the permissible up-
  per limit (MRL, cf. 9.1).