Nitenpyram is a calss of neonicotinoid and an insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) agonist with an IC₅₀ of 14 nM. Nitenpyram is an oral fast-acting insecticide used to suppress sucking insects on companion animals^[1][2]. In Vivo: Nitenpyram is administered orally (1 mg/kg) for the short-term control of fleas in dogs and cats. Fleas start to fall from the animals 30 minutes post-administration and one dose can protect animals for 1-2 days^[1].
Since Nitenpyram is highly lipophilic, it is administered orally after the meal in order to induce bile flow to help dissolve the chemical, thereby increasing GI absorption of the drug. It is rapidly and completely absorbed from the GI tract in less than 90 minutes and is completely excreted in urine within 48 hours after oral administration to dogs and cats. Nitenpyram undergoes hydroxylation, followed by conjugation in the liver. The conjugates of Nitenpyram are excreted in the urine and Nitenpyram is not accumulated in body tissues. The plasma half-life of Nitenpyram in dogs and cats are 3 and 8 hours, respectively. It is likely that animals with liver and/or kidney problems may have longer plasma half-life of Nitenpyram^[1].