[Acute toxicity study of cefodizime sodium]

Acute toxicity of cefodizime sodium (THR-221) was examined in mice of both sexes, rats of both sexes (including 5-day-old young), and male dogs. The LD50 values of THR-221 (mg/kg) were as follows: (1) mice: intravenous, 7200 for males and 5000 for females; intraperitoneal, 10500 for males and 11000 for females; subcutaneous, 17500 for males and 16500 for females; and oral, 28000 for males and 29000 for females. (2) rats (adult): intravenous, 7000 for males and 8200 for females; intraperitoneal, 9500 for males and 8800 for females; subcutaneous, 17000 for males and 15500 for females; oral, more than 20000 for both sexes; and intramuscular, more than 3200 for both sexes. (3) 5-day-old rats: subcutaneous, 5278 for males and 5314 for females. (4) male dogs: intravenous, more than 5000. Major changes in general conditions observed in mice and rats were decreased spontaneous activity, lying prone, respiratory changes, staggering gait, clonic or clonic-tonic convulsions, and cyanosis, and in the animals dosed orally, diarrhea or salivation was also noted. The changes in 5-day-old rats were respiratory changes, agony, loss of reflex to an external stimulus, and congestion at the injection site, and those in dogs were vomiting, dryness of the nose, and soft or mucous stools. Autopsies on the mice and rats which died revealed hemorrhage on the brain surface. In addition, the following were seen: intraperitoneal retention of fluid and dark red spots on the abdominal wall (i.p.), subcutaneous retention of fluid or jellylike material and hemorrhage at the injection site (s.c.), and retention of fluid and dark red spots on the mucosa in the digestive tract (mice p.o.). In 5-day-old rats which died, the subcutaneous tissue at the injection site showed hemorrhage macroscopically and inflammatory changes microscopically. Hematological and blood chemical tests performed in dogs showed an increase in white blood cells and changes suggesting anemia, increases in GOT, LDH and ALP activities, and slight changes in urea nitrogen and inorganic phosphorus. In one animal given a low dose of 2500 mg/kg, an increase in GPT activity was also seen. However, these changes were all transient. Microscopic findings in dogs were slight inflammatory changes in the subcutaneous tissue around the injection site.