title: Cefotaxime, cephalothin, and cephapirin: antimicrobial activity and synergy studies of cephalosporins with significant in vivo desacetyl metabolite concentrations.
abstract: The desacetyl metabolites of cefotaxime, cephalothin, and cephapirin were 5-55% as active as the parent drug, depending upon the bacterial species tested. Synergy or partial synergy was demonstrated in 64% of 25 strains of Enterobacteriaceae and Staphylococcus aureus tested against cephalothin/desacetylcephalothin and cephapirin/desacetylcephapirin combinations. Some species variations were identified that influenced synergy rates, particularly among the S. aureus strains (for example, highest rates for cephapirin).
mesh_terms: D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002439:Cefotaxime / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002511:Cephalosporins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002512:Cephalothin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002514:Cephapirin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006801:Humans; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests
chemical_list: D002511:Cephalosporins; C010104:desacetylcephalothin; C029281:desacetylcefotaxime; D002514:Cephapirin; D002439:Cefotaxime; D002512:Cephalothin