title: Intraocular penetration of rifampin after oral administration.
abstract: Rifampin, the most potent anti-staphylococcal drug known, was examined for its penetration into the aqueous and vitreous of rabbits after a single oral dose of 150 mg, 300 mg, or 600 mg. Maximum levels after the 150 mg dose were achieved at 4 h and were 4.2 micrograms/ml in the aqueous and 2.2 micrograms/ml in the vitreous. After the 300 mg dose, maximum levels were also achieved at 4 h, and were 5.0 micrograms/ml in the aqueous and 2.6 micrograms/ml in the vitreous. The 600 mg dose produced maximum levels at 6 h after administration, with 20.0 micrograms/ml in the aqueous and 15.2 micrograms/ml in the vitreous. These levels exceed the minimum inhibitory concentration for many microorganisms and suggest additional investigation into possible applications of systemic rifampin in the prophylaxis and treatment of bacterial endophthalmitis.
authors.affiliation: Howe Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Oum
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Kenyon
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D011817:Rabbits; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012293:Rifampin