Studies on the Diffusion of Cephradine and Cephalothin into Human Tissue

Abstract

The clinical effectiveness of antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents depends on various factors as serum half-lives, elimination rates, renal excretion, protein binding, minimal inhibition concentrations,pH and enzyme stability. The capability of antibiotics to diffuse into the infected tissue is one of the most important factors for their therapeutic effect. The tissue level of a drug is certainly better correlated to its effectiveness than the level in blood serum.The absolut values of tissue and serum levels as well as their numerical relation are important characteristics of a drug. These were the reasons for investigating the tissue concentrations of cephradine and cephalothin, two derivatives of ß-lactam group antibiotics which are widely used in hospitals.