[Cephalosporins as possible methods of etiotropic therapy of tuberculosis]

Cephalosporin antibiotics cefamezin (I generation drug sensitive to beta-lactamase) and cefotaxime (III generation drug resistant to beta-lactamase) have been tested for antituberculous activity. The latter was found dependent on resistance to mycobacterial beta-lactamase. A minimal inhibiting concentration of cefotaxime was similar to that of etambutol and tisamid. Cefotaxime also enhanced tuberculostatic and bactericidal effect of isoniazid and rifampicin. Combination cefotaxime+isoniazid+rifampicin proved more effective than cefotaxime+etambutol+tisamid. The effectiveness against tuberculosis of the beta-lactamase resistant cephalosporin points to the validity of further research for active phthisiatric drugs among III generation cephalosporins.