Changes of drug pharmacokinetics mediated by downregulation of kidney organic cation transporters Mate1 and Oct2 in a rat model of hyperuricemia.

The effects of hyperuricemia on the expression of kidney drug transporters and on the pharmacokinetics of several substrate drugs were examined. We first established a rat model of hyperuricemia without marked symptoms of chronic kidney failure by 10-day co-administration of oxonic acid (uricase inhibitor) and adenine (biosynthetic precursor of uric acid). These hyperuricemic rats showed plasma uric acid concentrations of up to 6 mg/dL, which is similar to the serum uric acid level in hyperuricemic humans, with little change of inulin clearance. The mRNA levels of multidrug and toxin extrusion 1 (Mate1, Slc47a1), organic anion transporter 1 (Oat1, Slc22a6), organic cation transporter 2 (Oct2, Slc22a2), urate transporter 1 (Urat1, Slc22a12) and peptide transporter 1 (Pept1, Slc15a1) were significantly decreased in kidney of hyperuricemic rats. Since Oct2, Mate1 and Oat1 are important for renal drug elimination, we next investigated whether the pharmacokinetics of their substrates, metformin, cephalexin and creatinine, were altered. The plasma concentration of metformin was not affected, while its kidney tissue accumulation was significantly increased. The plasma concentration and kidney tissue accumulation of cephalexin and the plasma concentration of creatinine were also increased. Furthermore, the protein expression of kidney Mate1 was decreased in hyperuricemic rats. Accordingly, although multiple factors may influence renal handling of these drugs, these observations can be accounted for, at least in part, by downregulation of Mate1-mediated apical efflux from tubular cells and Oct2-mediated basolateral uptake. Our results suggest that hyperuricemia could alter the disposition of drugs that are substrates of Mate1 and/or Oct2.

[Rapid determination of cephalexin in biological media].

The behavior of cephalexin in pharmaceutical and biological media was studied by spectrophotometric method. The ranges of linearity and the limits of cephalexin detection were determined. The possibilities of spectrophotometric cephalexin determination in mixed saliva and in blood serum were shown. Optimal conditions of proteins precipitation were revealed. Pharmacokinetic parameters of cephalexin in oral fluid of patients with sinusitis were determined.

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of oral cephalexin in children with osteoarticular infections.

BACKGROUND: Osteoarticular infections lead to significant morbidity in children. Cephalexin has in vitro activity against methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, a predominant pathogen in osteoarticular infection. However, cephalexin pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) are poorly described in children. This study described cephalexin PK in children treated for osteoarticular infection and assessed the proportion of children achieving surrogate PK/PD target for efficacy in methicillin-susceptible S. aureus infection. METHODS: Children with osteoarticular infection, 1 to 18 years of age, were eligible for this study if they were receiving oral cephalexin per standard of care. PK plasma samples were collected at specified times after multiple doses. PK parameters were estimated using noncompartmental analysis. PK/PD target for efficacy was calculated using the child's PK parameters, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the isolate when available and previously described MIC of 2 and 4 mg/L. RESULTS: Twelve children were enrolled and PK profiles were obtained from 11 of them. Median age was 7 years, and median cephalexin dose was 40 mg/kg/dose every 8 hours. Median apparent oral clearance, apparent oral volume of distribution and elimination half-life (T1/2) were 0.29 L/h/kg, 0.44 L/kg and 1.1 h, respectively. Time above MIC (T>MIC) was greater than 40% of the dosing interval in 100%, 90% and 80% of the children when MICs were 0.25, 2 and 4 mg/L, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Oral cephalexin achieved optimal plasma exposure and was well tolerated in children with osteoarticular infection. Correlation between osteoarticular infection clinical outcome and PK/PD parameters needs further evaluation.

Gastro-floating tablets of cephalexin: preparation and in vitro/in vivo evaluation.

Gastro-floating tablets of cephalexin were developed to prolong the residence time in major absorption sites. Gastro-floating tablets were prepared and optimized using hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC K100M) as matrix and sodium bicarbonate as a gas-forming agent. The properties of the tablets in terms of floating lag time, floating time and in vitro release were evaluated. Furthermore, in vivo pharmacokinetic study in fed and fasted beagle dogs was performed. The gastro-floating tablets had short floating lag time and exhibited a satisfactory sustained-release profile in vitro. Compared with conventional capsules, the gastro-floating tablets presented a sustained-release behavior with a relative bioavailability of 99.4%, while the reference sustained-release tablets gave a relative bioavailability of only 39.3%. Meanwhile, the food had significant effect on the pharmacokinetics of sustained-release tablets. It was concluded that the gastro-floating tablets had a sustained-release effect in vitro and in vivo, as well as desired pharmacokinetic properties in both fed and fasted conditions.

Effects of amlodipine on the oral bioavailability of cephalexin and cefuroxime axetil in healthy volunteers.

In this study, the authors compared the effects of amlodipine (AML) on the bioavailability of cephalexin (LEX) and cefuroxime axetil (CXM). Twenty-four healthy men were randomized to 4 treatments according to a crossover design with a 14-day washout. After an overnight fast, they were administered orally LEX 500 mg alone, LEX 500 mg 2 hours after oral administration of AML 5 mg, CXM 500 mg alone, and CXM 500 mg 2 hours after oral administration of AML 5 mg. All participants completed the whole study without side effects being observed. Pharmacokinetic data were analyzed by noncompartmental modeling with WinNonlin software. The geometric mean (GM) ratios were 1.38 (90% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-1.45) for the area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) for LEX and 1.27 (1.18-1.36) for the maximum concentration of drug in serum (C(max)) for LEX followed by AML versus alone. In contrast, no significant differences were found in the pharmacokinetic parameters of CXM between treatments (P < .05). They authors conclude that AML possesses an enhancement effect in ß-lactam antibiotic bioavailability (in this case, LEX), and this interaction may be specific to the peptidomimetic ß-lactam antibiotics.

Short-term stability studies of ampicillin and cephalexin in aqueous solution and human plasma: Application of least squares method in Arrhenius equation.

A limited number of studies with application of the Arrhenius equation have been reported to drugs and biopharmaceuticals in biological fluids at frozen temperatures. This paper describes stability studies of ampicillin and cephalexin in aqueous solution and human plasma applying the Arrhenius law for determination of adequate temperature and time of storage of these drugs using appropriate statistical analysis. Stability studies of the beta-lactams in human plasma were conducted at temperatures of 20°C, 2°C, -20°C and also during four cycles of freeze-thawing. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Shimpak C(18) column, acetonitrile as organic modifier and detection at 215nm. LC-UV-MS/MS was used to demonstrate the conversion of ampicillin into two diastereomeric forms of ampicilloic acid. Stability studies demonstrated degradation greater than 10% for ampicillin in human plasma at 20°C, 2°C and -20°C after 15h, 2.7days, 11days and for cephalexin at the same temperatures after 14h, 3.4days and 19days, respectively, and after the fourth cycle of freezing-thawing. The Arrhenius plot showed good prediction for the ideal temperature and time of storage for ampicillin (52days) and cephalexin (151days) at a temperature of -40°C, but statistical analysis (least squares method) must be applied to avoid incorrect extrapolations and estimated values out uncertainty limits.

Competitive inhibition of the luminal efflux by multidrug and toxin extrusions, but not basolateral uptake by organic cation transporter 2, is the likely mechanism underlying the pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions caused by cimetidine in the kidney.

Cimetidine, an H2 receptor antagonist, has been used to investigate the tubular secretion of organic cations in human kidney. We report a systematic comprehensive analysis of the inhibition potency of cimetidine for the influx and efflux transporters of organic cations [human organic cation transporter 1 (hOCT1) and hOCT2 and human multidrug and toxin extrusion 1 (hMATE1) and hMATE2-K, respectively]. Inhibition constants (K(i)) of cimetidine were determined by using five substrates [tetraethylammonium (TEA), metformin, 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, 4-(4-(dimethylamino)styryl)-N-methylpyridinium, and m-iodobenzylguanidine]. They were 95 to 146 µM for hOCT2, providing at most 10% inhibition based on its clinically reported plasma unbound concentrations (3.6-7.8 µM). In contrast, cimetidine is a potent inhibitor of MATE1 and MATE2-K with K(i) values (µM) of 1.1 to 3.8 and 2.1 to 6.9, respectively. The same tendency was observed for mouse Oct1 (mOct1), mOct2, and mouse Mate1. Cimetidine showed a negligible effect on the uptake of metformin by mouse kidney slices at 20 µM. Cimetidine was administered to mice by a constant infusion to achieve a plasma unbound concentration of 21.6 µM to examine its effect on the renal disposition of Mate1 probes (metformin, TEA, and cephalexin) in vivo. The kidney- and liver-to-plasma ratios of metformin both were increased 2.4-fold by cimetidine, whereas the renal clearance was not changed. Cimetidine also increased the kidney-to-plasma ratio of TEA and cephalexin 8.0- and 3.3-fold compared with a control and decreased the renal clearance from 49 to 23 and 11 to 6.6 ml/min/kg, respectively. These results suggest that the inhibition of MATEs, but not OCT2, is a likely mechanism underlying the drug-drug interactions with cimetidine in renal elimination.

Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of a long-acting formulation of cephalexin after intramuscular administration to cats.

The pharmacokinetic profile and bioavailability of a long-acting formulation of cephalexin after intramuscular administration to cats was investigated. Single intravenous (cephalexin lysine salt) and intramuscular (20% cephalexin monohydrate suspension) were administered to five cats at a dose rate of 10 mg/kg. Serum disposition curves were analyzed by noncompartmental approaches. After intravenous administration, volume of distribution (V(z)), total body clearance (Cl(t)), elimination constant (λ(z)), elimination half-life (t(½)(λ)) and mean residence time (MRT) were: 0.33±0.03 L/kg; 0.14±0.02 L/hkg, 0.42±0.05 h(-1), 1.68±0.20 h and 2.11±0.25 h, respectively. Peak serum concentration (C(max)), time to peak serum concentration (T(max)) and bioavailability after intramuscular administration were 15.67±1.95 µg/mL, 2.00±0.61 h and 83.33±8.74%, respectively.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of intravenous cephalexin in pregnant, lactating, and nonpregnant, nonlactating goats.

The aims of this study were to describe and compare the pharmacokinetics of a single dose of cephalexin (10 mg/kg) after its intravenous (i.v.) administration to five goats in three different physiological status: nonpregnant nonlactating (NPNL), pregnant (P) and nonpregnant lactating (L). Blood samples were collected at predetermined times, and plasma concentrations of cephalexin were measured by microbiological assay. Relevant pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental analysis. Statistical comparison was performed applying the nonparametric anova. No significant differences were found for cephalexin pharmacokinetic parameters between the L and the NPNL group. Median V(dss) was significantly lower in pregnant goats (0.09 [0.07-0.10] L/kg) compared with NPNL goats (0.16 [0.14-0.49] L/kg). Median total Cl and V(dz) were significantly lower in pregnant goats (0.25 [0.19-0.29] L/h·kg and 0.11 [0.10-0.13] L/kg, respectively) than in lactating goats (0.40 [0.32-0.57] L/h·kg and 0.20 [0.14-0.23] L/kg, respectively). Median AUC(0-∞) was significantly higher in pregnant goats (37.79 [34.75-52.10] µg·h/mL) than in lactating goats (25.11 [17.44-31.14] µg·h/mL). Our study showed that even though some pharmacokinetic parameters of cephalexin are altered in pregnant and lactating goats, these differences are unlikely to be of clinical importance; therefore, no dose adjustment would be necessary during pregnancy and lactation.

Effects of sodium bicarbonate and ammonium chloride pre-treatments on PEPT2 (SLC15A2) mediated renal clearance of cephalexin in healthy subjects.

PEPT2 mediates the H(+) gradient-driving reabsorption of di- and tri-peptides, and various peptidomimetic compounds in the kidney. This study examines the influence of urinary pH modification through sodium bicarbonate and ammonium chloride pre-treatments on the function of PEPT2 in healthy subjects, using cephalexin as the probe drug. Sixteen male subjects received a single oral dose of 1000 mg cephalexin under ammonium chloride and sodium bicarbonate treatment, respectively, with a wash-out period of one week. The study subjects were genotyped for PEPT2 polymorphic variants. Cephalexin concentrations in plasma and urine were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. The mean renal clearance of cephalexin was significantly higher under ammonium chloride treatment than that under sodium bicarbonate treatment (P < 0.01). This difference was significant for PEPT2*2/*2 (P = 0.017) but not for PEPT2*1/*1 (P = 0.128). No differences were observed for other pharmacokinetic parameters. The findings of this study suggest that urinary pH changes may alter the pharmacokinetics of PEPT2's substrates. This effect was more obvious for the PEPT2*2/*2.

Reduced renal clearance of a zwitterionic substrate cephalexin in MATE1-deficient mice.

Multidrug and toxin extrusion 1 (MATE1/solute carrier 47A1) mediates the transport of not only organic cations but also zwitterions such as cephalexin. However, the contribution of MATE1 to tubular secretion of cephalexin in vivo has not been elucidated. In the present study, we carried out transport experiments of cephalexin via MATE1 and performed pharmacokinetic analyses of cephalexin in Mate1 knockout [Mate1(-/-)] mice. Cephalexin uptake by human MATE1-expressing human embryonic kidney 293 cells exhibited saturable kinetics (K(m) = 5.9 +/- 0.5 mM) and a bell-shaped pH profile with a maximum at pH 7.0. We confirmed that mouse MATE1 also transported cephalexin. After a single intravenous administration of cephalexin (5 mg/kg), Mate1(-/-) mice showed higher plasma concentrations of cephalexin than wild-type [Mate1(+/+)] mice. The urinary excretion of cephalexin for 60 min was significantly reduced, and the renal concentration was markedly increased in Mate1(-/-) mice compared with Mate1(+/+) mice. The renal clearance of cephalexin in Mate1(-/-) mice was approximately 60% of that in Mate1(+/+) mice and seemed to be near the creatinine clearance. In contrast, there were no significant differences between both mice in the pharmacokinetics of anionic cefazolin, which is not a substrate for MATE1. In this study, we demonstrated that MATE1 is responsible for renal tubular secretion of a zwitterionic substrate cephalexin in vivo.

Pharmacokinetic interaction between JBP485 and cephalexin in rats.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the pharmacokinetic mechanism of interaction between JBP485 (cyclo-trans-4-L-hydroxyprolyl-L-serine, a dipeptide) and cephalexin when they were coadministered in rats. The plasma concentrations of JBP485 and cephalexin were both decreased significantly after oral combination, but little difference was observed after simultaneous intravenous administration of the two agents, suggesting that the interaction target localized in the intestine during the absorption process. The uptake in everted intestinal sacs and absorption in jejunal perfusions of JBP485 and cephalexin were dramatically reduced after drug combination. When JBP485 and cephalexin were coadministered, both the decrease in accumulative renal excretion (81.9-68.1% of JBP485 and 91.8-74.5% of cephalexin) and in renal clearance (2.89-1.87 ml/min/kg JBP485 and 2.23-1.58 ml/min/kg cephalexin) indicated that transporter(s) other than H(+)/peptide transporter (PEPT) 2 are involved in the process of excretion. Probenecid could reduce renal excretion of JBP485 and cephalexin. Moreover, the decreased uptake of JBP485 with probenecid, p-aminohippuate, or benzylpenicillin in kidney slices could be explained by an inhibition in the kidney via organic anion transporters (OATs), at least in part. The accumulation of JBP485 in human (h) OAT1- or hOAT3-human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells was greater than that in vector-HEK293 cells, and the uptake could be inhibited by probenecid. These findings further confirmed that the pharmacokinetic mechanism of the drug-drug interaction between JBP485 and cephalexin could be explained by their inhibition of the same transporters in the intestinal mucosa (PEPT1) and kidneys (PEPT2 and OATs). We provide the first evidence that JBP485 is not only a substrate of PEPTs but also is excreted through OATs.

Mechanism and implication of cephalosporin penetration into oropharyngeal mucosa.

The aim of this study was to explore the mechanism(s) by which oral cephalosporins penetrate into human oropharyngeal mucosa, and thus, the availability of sufficient concentrations at the site of infection. Two oral cephalosporin prototypes, cephalexin (first generation) and cefixime (third generation), were administered to five healthy subjects at two different visits with a 1-week washout period. Plasma and saliva samples were collected and drug concentrations were measured using an appropriate HPLC method. The maximum plasma concentrations (Cmax) of cefixime and cephalexin were 2.97+/-0.24 microg ml(-1) and 77.65+/-18.91 microg ml(-1), respectively. These concentrations were associated with a maximum salivary concentration (CSmax) of 0.56 microg ml(-1) for cefixime and 3.34 microg ml(-1) for cephalexin. Such levels exceed the reported minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) for Streptococcus pyogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae. The average concentration of cefixime in saliva corresponded to its plasma free fraction (saliva/plasma [S/P] ratio; 0.34). However, this observation was not true for cephalexin, for which antibiotic concentrations in the saliva did not appear to correspond to its plasma free fraction (0.8-0.85), with an S/P ratio of only 0.092. Our findings indicate that an active transport mechanism exists for cefixime excretion into human oropharyngeal mucosa, whereas cephalexin is passively diffused, although to a limited extent, as measured by its salivary concentrations.

Comparative pharmacokinetics of an injectable cephalexin suspension in beef cattle.

This study describes and compares the pharmacokinetics of a single 7.5mg/kg dose of cephalexin monohydrate oil-based 20% suspension after its administrations to six cows by the intramuscular (i.m.) and subcutaneous (s.c.) routes, and to five calves by the i.m. route. Significantly (P<0.05) higher peak plasma concentrations (5.6+/-0.79microg/ml versus 3.93+/-1.24microg/ml) and lower half-life (1.81+/-0.56h versus 4.21+/-0.82h) and mean residence time (4.12+/-1.07h versus 6.63+/-0.85h) were obtained after i.m. administration when compared to the s.c. administration to cows. No differences were found between pharmacokinetic parameters calculated for cows and calves. Cephalexin plasma concentrations remained above 0.5-0.75microg/ml for 11-14h and 8-9h after the s.c. and i.m. administrations, respectively. Thus, route of administration may be an important issue to be considered when calculating dosage schedules for successful treatments and safe withdrawal times for veterinary medicines.

PDZK1 regulates two intestinal solute carriers (Slc15a1 and Slc22a5) in mice.

Gastrointestinal (GI) absorption of certain therapeutic agents is thought to be mediated by solute carrier (SLC) transporters, although minimal in vivo evidence has been reported. Here, we show key roles of postsynaptic density 95/disk-large/ZO-1 (PDZ) domain-containing protein, PDZK1, as a regulatory mechanism of two solute carriers, Slc15a1 (oligopeptide transporter PEPT1) and Slc22a5 (carnitine/organic cation transporter OCTN2) in mouse small intestine by using pdzk1 gene knockout (pdzk1(-/-)) mice. GI absorption of cephalexin, a substrate of PEPT1, after p.o. administration was delayed in pdzk1(-/-) mice compared with wild-type mice. Absorption of carnitine, a substrate of OCTN2, was also decreased in pdzk1(-/-) mice. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed the localization of both PEPT1 and OCTN2 at apical membrane of small intestinal epithelial cells in wild-type mice, whereas such apical localization was reduced in pdzk1(-/-) mice, with a concomitant decrease in their protein levels assessed by Western blotting in intestinal brush-border membranes. Electron microscopy revealed localization of PEPT1 in intracellular vesicular structures in pdzk1(-/-) mice. In addition, we first identified interaction between PEPT1 and PDZK1 in mouse small intestine and found that PDZK1 stimulates transport activity of PEPT1 by increasing its expression level in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. Taken together, the present findings provide direct evidence that PDZK1 regulates two intestinal SLC transporters in vivo as an adaptor protein for these transporters and affects oral absorption of their substrates. These findings also raise the possibility that intestinal absorption of the substrate drugs for PEPT1 and OCTN2 is governed by the protein network of these transporters and their adaptor PDZK1.

A comparative study of capillary zone electrophoresis and pH-potentiometry for determination of dissociation constants.

Acidity constants of six cephalosporin antibiotics, cefalexin, cefaclor, cefadroxil, cefotaxim, cefoperazon and cefoxitin are determined using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and pH-potentiometric titrations. Since CZE is a separation method, it is not necessary for the samples to be of high purity and known concentration because only mobilities are measured. The effect on determination of dissociation constants of different matrices (serum, 0.9% NaCl, fermentation matrix) was examined. The advantages of CZE can be utilized in those fields where potentiometry has limitations (sample quantity, solubility, purity, simultaneous determinations), although pK(a) values that are close to each other can be determined by potentiometry with more accuracy.

Chronopharmacological study of cephalexin in dogs.

Recent studies have identified a 24 h rhythm in the expression and function of PEPT1 in rats, with significantly higher levels during the nighttime than daytime. Similarly, temporal variations have been described in glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow, both being maximal during the activity phase and minimal during the rest phase in laboratory rodents. The aim of this study was to assess the hypothesis that the absorption of the first-generation cephalosporin antibiotic cephalexin by dogs would be less and the elimination would be slower after evening (rest span) compared to morning (activity span) administration, and whether such administration-time changes could impair the medication's predicted clinical efficacy. Six (3 male, 3 female; age 4.83+/-3.12 years) healthy beagle dogs were studied. Each dog received a single dose of 25 mg/kg of cephalexin monohydrate per os at 10:00 and 22:00 h, with a two-week interval of time between the two clock-time experiments. Plasma cephalexin concentrations were determined by microbiological assay. Cephalexin peak plasma concentration was significantly reduced to almost 77% of its value after the evening compared to morning (14.52+/-2.7 vs. 18.77+/-2.8 microg/mL) administration. The elimination half-life was prolonged 1.5-fold after the 22:00 h compared to the 10:00 h administration (2.69+/-0.9 vs. 1.79+/-0.2 h). The area under the curve and time to reach peak plasma concentration did not show significant administration-time differences. The duration of time that cephalexin concentrations remained above the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) for staphylococci susceptiblity (MIC=0.5 microg/mL) was>70% of each of the 12 h dosing intervals (i.e., 10:00 and 22:00 h). It can be concluded that cephalexin pharmacokinetics vary with time of day administration. The findings of this acute single-dose study require confirmation by future steady-state, multiple-dose studies. If such studies are confirmatory, no administration-time dose adjustment is required to ensure drug efficacy in dogs receiving an oral suspension of cephalexin in a dosage of 25 mg/kg at 12 h intervals.

Metoclopramide modifies oral cephalexin pharmacokinetics in dogs.

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether previous administration of metoclopramide affects cephalexin pharmacokinetics after its oral administration in dogs as well as whether these changes impair its predicted clinical efficacy. Six healthy beagle dogs were included in this study. Oral 25 mg/kg cephalexin monohydrate and intravenous 0.5 mg/kg metoclopramide HCl single doses were administered. Each dog received cephalexin or cephalexin following metoclopramide, with a 2-week washout period. Plasma concentrations of cephalexin were determined by microbiological assay. Cephalexin peak plasma concentration and area under the curve from 0 to infinity significantly increased from 18.77+/-2.8 microg/mL and 82.65+/-10.4 microg.h/mL to 21.88+/-0.8 microg/mL and 113.10+/-20.9 microg.h/mL, respectively, after pretreatment with metoclopramide. No differences between treatments were found for other pharmacokinetic parameters. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic indices calculated for highly susceptible staphylococci were similar for both experiences. Metoclopramide pretreatment may have increased cephalexin absorption by affecting its delivery to the intestine, and/or enhancing intestinal transporter PEPT1 function. Neither difference in the efficacy of cephalexin nor an increase in toxicity is expected as a result of this modification. Consequently, no dose adjustment is required in cephalexin-treated patients pretreated with metoclopramide.

Liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of cefalexin and trimethoprim in dog plasma and application to the pharmacokinetic studies of a coformulated preparation.

A liquid chromatographic method is described for the simultaneous determination of cefalexin and trimethoprim in dog plasma. A simple protein precipitation procedure was adopted for the sample preparation with satisfactory extraction recoveries for both analytes. Chromatographic separation of the analytes was achieved on a C(18) column using a mixture of 2 mol/l formate buffer (pH 3.5), methanol and acetonitrile (22:7:7, v/v/v) containing a 0.002 mol/l sodium dodecyl sulfate as mobile phase and detection was performed at 240 nm. The linearity was obtained over the concentration ranges of 1.0-100.0 microg/ml for cefalexin and 0.5-50.0 microg/ml for trimethoprim. For each level of QC samples including the lower limit of quantification, both inter- and intra-day precisions (R.S.D.) were < or =14.0% for cefalexin and < or =11.4% for trimethoprim, and accuracy (RE) was -1.4% for cefalexin and -3.0% for trimethoprim. The present LC method was successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic studies of coformulated cefalexin dispersible tablets after oral administration to beagle dogs.