This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Reprints and Permissions Copyright Information Books from ASM Press MicrobeWorld Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Chang, T.-W. Articles by Weinstein, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Chang, T.-W. Articles by Weinstein, L.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

J Bacteriol. 1963 May; 85(5): 1022-1027
Copyright © 1963, The Williams & Wilkins Company. All Rights Reserved.

IN VITRO BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF CEPHALOTHIN

Department of Medicine, Tufts University School of Medicine, and Infectious Disease Service, Pratt Clinic-New England Center Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts

ABSTRACT

CHANG, TE-WEN (Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, Mass.) AND LOUIS WEINSTEIN. In vitro biological activity of cephalothin. J. Bacteriol. 85:1022–1027. 1963.—Cephalothin is a "broad-spectrum" antibiotic active, in low concentrations, against Diplococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. Shigella, Salmonella, and Proteus mirabilis were the most sensitive of the gram-negative organisms. Escherichia coli and Aerobacter aerogenes were suppressed to a lesser degree, whereas Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Herellea were highly resistant. Penicillin-sensitive and -resistant strains of S. aureus were equally susceptible to cephalothin. Exposure to increasing concentrations of the drug very frequently led to the development of resistance in gram-negative organisms; this was observed less often with S. aureus. Cephalothin stimulated the production of penicillinase by staphylococci, which remained sensitive to the cephalosporanic acid derivatives despite repeated subculture in increasing concentrations of the agent. Cephalothin was not inhibited by penicillinase. This antibiotic was more toxic to cultures of human amnion and mouse embryo cells than benzyl penicillin G but was less injurious than oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, and demethylchlortetracycline; tetracylcine produced about the same degree of cellular damage as cephalothin.