Pharmacokinetics and inflammatory fluid penetration of cefpodoxime proxetil in volunteers

The pharmacokinetics of cefpodoxime were determined after a single oral dose of 261 mg of cefpodoxime proxetil, equivalent to 200 mg of cefpodoxime, was given to each of six healthy male volunteers. Concentrations in serum, urine, and cantharidin-induced inflammatory fluid were measured by a microbiological assay. The mean peak level in plasma was 2.1 micrograms/ml, attained at a mean time of 2.9 h. The mean half-life of elimination from serum was 2.2 h. The inflammatory exudate was penetrated moderately rapidly, the mean peak level being 1.7 micrograms/ml at 3.5 h. The mean percent penetration of the inflammatory exudate was 103.7. The mean 24-h urine recovery of cefpodoxime was 32.2%. This study suggests that cefpodoxime proxetil taken once or twice daily will be sufficient to treat urinary or systemic infections caused by susceptible pathogens.