Comparison of absorption and excretion of cefazolin with cephalothin and cephapirin

Since the discovery of cephalothin in 1962, many semi-synthetic cephalosporins have appeared. To choose the most suitable drug for the clinical treatment of infections, the characteristics of these antibiotics must be sufficiently understood. When cephalosporins which are or will be commercially available are divided into two categories, one consists of cephaloridine, cefazolin and cephalexin which are comparatively stable in the living body; and the other cephalothin, cephaloglycin, cephapirin and cephacetrile which are metabolized into desacetyl compounds with low antibacterial activity. In this study, the author compared the absorption, excretion and some other properties of cefazolin and cephalothin, (widely used clinically), and cephapirin (still under study in Japan).