Chemical Properties
White or pale yellow powder.
Uses
Cephalosporin antibacterial.
Definition
ChEBI: The sodium salt of cephapirin. A first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, it is effective against gram-negative and gram-positive organisms. Being more resistant to beta-lactamases than penicillins, it is effective agains most staphyloco ci, though not methicillin-resistant staphylococci.
Brand name
Cefadyl (Apothecon).
Clinical Use
Cephapirin (Cefadyl) is a semisynthetic 7-ACA derivativereleased in the United States in 1974. It closely resemblescephalothin in chemical and pharmacokinetic properties. Likecephalothin, cephapirin is unstable in acid and must beadministered parenterally in the form of an aqueous solutionof the sodium salt. It is moderately protein bound (45%–50%)in plasma and cleared rapidly by the kidneys. Cephapirin andcephalothin are very similar in antimicrobial spectrum andpotency. Conflicting reports concerning the relative occurrenceof pain at the site of injection and thrombophlebitis afterintravenous injection of cephapirin and cephalothin are difficultto assess on the basis of available clinical data.