Antibiotics in Milk and the Risk of Drug Resistance

Abstract

The mammary glands of all mammals produce a biological fluid
after giving birth known as milk. Intrinsic factors impacting drug
transition to milk include animal breed, species, milk protein, fat
content, and lactation period. Environmental conditions, disease, drug solubility, and drug-to-drug interaction are the extrinsic factors. Antibiotics are an important factor in animal feed
production. Antibiotics are mainly administered in animals for
disease prevention, treatment, and growth promotion. Antibiotic residues could be detected in animal products such as meat,
egg, and milk. The side effects of antibiotic residues include immunopathological effects, antibiotic-resistant bacterial transfer
to humans, allergy, nephropathy (gentamicin), mutagenicity,
reproductive disorders, bone marrow toxicity (chloramphenicol), hepatotoxicity, and carcinogenicity (oxytetracycline, sulphamethazine, and furazolidone). Antibiotic-resistant bacterial
transfer to humans because of the resistance mobile properties
is the most important detrimental impact. This review addresses
the antibiotics pharmacology in milk and the side effects of their
residues on human health.