Cefadroxil, a new broad-spectrum cephalosporin

Cefadroxil is a new semisynthetic cephalosporin with a broad antibacterial spectrum and a high chemotherapeutic potential when administered orally. The inhibitory activity of this compound was similar to that of cephalexin and cephradine when tested against 602 clinical isolates on Mueller-Hinton medium. In the oral treatment of experimental infections of mice, cefadroxil was more effective than cephalexin against Streptococcus pyogenes, and comparably effective against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, and several gram-negative species. Administered orally to mice, at doses ranging from 25 to 100 mg/kg, cefadroxil attained peak concentrations in the blood similar to those of cephalexin. At a dose of 200 mg/kg, however, higher peak levels were noted with cefadroxil than with cephalexin. In regard to other properties which were investigated, the behavior of cefadroxil compared favorably to that of cephalexin.