Abstract

A number of antibacterial agents have recently been developed which are recommended because they need to be administered infrequently. Examples are Deteclo (Lederle), Kelfizine W (Pharmitalia), and Vibramycin (Pfizer). The advantage claimed for these preparations is that adequate blood levels can be maintained with infrequent dosage. A prolonged action may be achieved in various ways - for example, by using a mixture of antibiotics which are absorbed and excreted at different rates, as in Deteclo;¹ by giving high doses of a well absorbed preparation which is slowly excreted, e. g. doxycycline (Vibramycin),² by administration in a slow-release form, e. g. procaine penicillin; or by giving probenecid to lessen renal excretion. Where prolongation of action depends on increased binding to plasma proteins, the drug may be more likely to act as a hapten and so to induce allergic reactions.