Biological properties of three 3-heterocyclic-thiomethyl cephalosporin antibiotics

Three new cephalosporin antibiotics, prepared by substitution of heterocyclic groups on 7-aminocephalosporanic acid, possess certain desirable chemical or biological properties. All three compounds are active in vitro against a variety of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of these bactericidal antibiotics were not significantly affected by changes in pH or NaCl content of nutrient broth, or by the use of different inoculum sizes. However, agar-dilution MIC values were generally two- to fourfold lower than the MIC values in comparable broth-dilution tests. Stability to cephalosporinase by two of the compounds extended their antibacterial spectra over cephalothin and cephaloridine to include strains of Enterobacter sp. and indole-positive Proteus sp. Binding to serum proteins of the new cephalosporins was intermediate between cephalothin and cephaloridine. Excellent concentrations of the antibiotics were attained in mouse blood, after subcutaneous administration of 20 mg per kg. In vitro biological characteristics of the antibiotics were verified by successful therapy of experimental mouse infections. Regression lines were calculated to show the correlation of agar-dilution MIC values with zones of inhibition by the disc testing procedure. Because each of the three new cephalosporins has certain advantageous properties over cephalothin and cephaloridine, additional toxicological and pharmacological data should be obtained for all three compounds.