title: Activity of amoxicillin-clavulanate against penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in an experimental respiratory infection model in rats.
abstract: High doses of amoxicillin, equivalent to those produced by 500- and 750-mg oral doses in humans (area under the plasma concentration-time curve), were effective against a penicillin-resistant strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae in an experimental respiratory tract infection in immunocompromised rats; this superior activity confirms the results of previous studies. An unexpected enhancement of amoxicillin's antibacterial activity in vivo against penicillin-resistant and -susceptible S. pneumoniae strains was observed when subtherapeutic doses of amoxicillin were coadministered with the beta-lactamase inhibitor potassium clavulanate. The reason for this enhancement was unclear since these organisms do not produce beta-lactamase. The differential binding of clavulanic acid and amoxicillin to penicillin-binding proteins may have contributed to the observed effects.
authors.affiliation: Wells Medical, Surrey, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Slocombe
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Abbott
authors.forename: L W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Mizen
mesh_terms: D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D010403:Penicillin Resistance; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D051381:Rats; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology*; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D019980:Amoxicillin-Potassium Clavulanate Combination