title: Binding to faeces and influence on human anaerobes of antimicrobial agents used for selective decontamination.
abstract: The degree of binding of ampicillin, cephradine, co-trimoxazole, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, neomycin, polymyxin B and tobramycin by faecal substance as well as the influence of these antibiotics on human intestinal obligate anaerobes was investigated. In contrast to ampicillin, cephradine, co-trimoxazole and nalidixic acid, the nonabsorbable antibiotics polymyxin B and neomycin were bound to a considerable degree by human faeces. The binding of tobramycin and gentamicin to the solid part of faeces was less effective. The inhibitory effect of co-trimoxazole, gentamicin, nalidixic acid, neomycin, polymyxin B and tobramycin on the human obligate anaerobes was weak as compared with ampicillin and cephradine. Drugs which effectively eliminate Enterobacteriaceae from the gastrointestinal tract and which have a moderate effect on obligate anaerobes, like polymyxin B, are particularly suitable for selective decontamination of the gastrointestinal tract. The strong inactivating binding of aminoglycosides and polymyxin B to faeces accounts for the relatively high oral dose needed for a suitable faecal concentration.
mesh_terms: D000667:Ampicillin / Q000378:metabolism; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D002515:Cephradine / Q000378:metabolism; D004338:Drug Combinations / Q000378:metabolism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects; D005243:Feces / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole / Q000378:metabolism; D014295:Trimethoprim / Q000378:metabolism; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D000667:Ampicillin; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination; D014295:Trimethoprim; D002515:Cephradine; D013420:Sulfamethoxazole