Author
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Kochansky, Jan |
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Submitted to: Journal of Apicultural Research
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 4/22/2004 Publication Date: 4/22/2004 Citation: Kochansky, J.P. 2004. Degradation of tylosin residues in honey. Journal of Apicultural Research. 43:65-68. Interpretive Summary: American foulbrood is a bacterial disease of honey bees that is treated with antibiotics. A new antibiotic is being proposed for use in honey bee colonies and it is necessary to determine levels of this antibiotic and any other chemical products resulting from its breakdown in honey. We have examined the degradation of this new antibiotic using a sensitive laboratory method and report the detection of important breakdown products. This information will be used by other scientists to examine the fate of antibiotics in bee products and regulatory personnel interested in establishing acceptable levels of antibiotics. Technical Abstract: Honey containing tylosin has been studied to determine the stability of residues over time. Residues were isolated from diluted honey samples by solid-phase extraction followed by quantitation using high performance liquid chromatography. Oasis HLB cartridge isolation allowed the concentration of tylosin and desmycosin to be determined separately on the same sample. Oasis MCX extraction gave a single compound (apparently desmycosin dimethyl acetal) from both tylosin and desmycosin, with HPLC peak area proportional to the sum of the two. Tylosin converted to desmycosin with a half-life of approximately 4 months at 34° C. The desmycosin was as active as tylosin, and seemed to be quite stable in honey; the sum of the two antibiotics, determined by either method, decreased only slightly over 9 months. Use of tylosin for treatment of American foulbrood requires caution to prevent persistent residues in honey. |
