[Diffusion of piperacillin in the healthy human peritoneum after administration of a prophylactic dose]. / Diffusion de la pipéracilline dans le péritoine sain de l'homme après administration à dose prophylactique.

The passage of piperacillin into the omentum was evaluated in 23 patients who received one single intravenous injection of 2 grams. Median concentrations were 7.05 micrograms.g-1 at 30 min, 7.2 micrograms.g-1 at 60 min., 4.65 micrograms.g-1 at 90 min. and 3.53 micrograms.g-1 at 120 min. The corresponding maximal values were 36 micrograms.g-1, 59.7 micrograms.g-1, 36 micrograms.g-1 and 32 micrograms.g-1 respectively. Specimens collected beyond 2 hours showed that the concentrations obtained were maintained.

Medicinal plants make a comeback.

PIP: Phytotherapy--using vegetable based drug preparations--was the primary method of disease treatment until the middle of the 19th century. Gradually, chemicals and drugs were produced only from and based on the active ingredients of these plants. The International Centre of Commerce reports that medicinal plants are still vitally important in the preparation of pharmaceutical products. The proportion of medicinal plants used in the preparation of pharmaceutical products is about 1/3 that of synthetic chemicals. Raw materials for import by pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries have increased form $52.9 million in 1967 to $71.2 million in 1971, with increases averaging 7% annually. Annual quantities of some plants used in preparations are: 3,000 tons of aloes; 10,000 tons of artichoke leaves; 5,000 tons of quinquina bark; 5,000 tons of senna pods; 1,000 tons of digitalis leaves; 1,000 tons of belladonna, henbane and datura leaves. An important distinction exists between medicinal plants and vegetable drugs. Medicinal plants contain one or more endogenous substances which can be used directly for medicinal purposes or in semisynthesis of preparations. Vegetable drug refers only to the part of the plant used directly in the preparation of medicines. The pure molecules in medicinal plants can be used in the synthesis of pharmaceutical products, notably steroids which are used to produce progestational substances and oral contraceptives. Medicina plants can also aid research for development of artificial mutations of the molecules to produce new drugs, an example of which is cocaine, from which synthetic local pain killers are derived. Some medicinal plants can be used as vegetable drugs for phytotherapy either on their own or to supplement chemotherapy. Vegetable drugs are especially useful for psychosomatic complaints, various cardiovascular diseases, digestive troubles, liver and gallbladder disorders, and antiseptics, both internal and external. Continued research and devleopment on the use of medicinal plants in developing countries will enrich the present range of medicines or provide a basis for further chemical and pharmacological research.^ieng

[Detection and significance of histidine decarboxylase (HDC) in "Klebsiella", "Enterobacter" and "Serratia" (author's transl)]. / Intérêt de la recherche de l'histidine-décarboxylase (HDC) chez les espèces du groupe Klebsiella-Enterobacter-Serratia.

A quick colorimetric procedure for detection of histidine decarboxylase (HDC) in cultures of Klebsiella, Enterobacter and Serratia is described. Only E. aerogenes could decarboxylate histidine (production of histamine). The interest of HDC test for differentiation of E. aerogenes from K. pneumoniae (especially urease negative strains) is discussed.

[Post-antibiotic effect of ciprofloxacin alone and in combination on Streptococcus faecalis]. / Effet post-antibiotique de la ciprofloxacine seule et en association sur Streptococcus faecalis.

Post-antibiotic effect (PAE) of ciprofloxacin has been studied on 2 strains of S. faecalis in the logarithmic phase after 2 exposure times and at concentrations ranging 0.5-10 times the MIC. At the end of the exposure period the antimicrobial is removed by dilution. Similar PAE is observed for ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin, higher than for pefloxacin. Ciprofloxacin-fosfomycin or ciprofloxacin-vancomycin combinations are indifferent or even antagonistic (vancomycin) in regards to PAE. Ciprofloxacin-penicillin or ciprofloxacin-netilmicin are weakly synergistic.

[Influence of the inoculum effect on minimal inhibitory concentrations of 3 derivatives of 5-nitro-imidazole and 11 other antibiotics on Bacteroides fragilis]. / Influence de l'effet inoculum sur les concentrations minimales inhibitrices de trois dérivés du 5-nitro-imidazole et onze autres antibiotiques sur Bacteroides du groupe fragilis.

Three nitro-imidazole derivatives and eleven other antibiotics were studied for both their antimicrobial activity and the degree to which they produced inoculum effect on twenty strains of Bacteroides fragilis group. Five inocula were studied ranging from 10(5) to 10(9) CFU/ml. Statistical analysis show the significant influence of inoculum and those of strains. Nitro-imidazole derivatives exhibited a large inoculum effect while other antibiotics exhibited only a minimal to-no-inoculum effect.

[Cytomorphological study of the action of ornidazole against Bacteroides fragilis]. / Etude cyto-morphologique de l'action de l'ornidazole sur Bacteroides fragilis.

The action of ornidazole on Bacteroides fragilis at the following concentrations, 4 MIC--MIC--MIC/2--MIC/4, is observed by electron microscopy, transmission and scanning, for 18 to 48 hours. The primary effect on ultrastructure was characterized by a distinct change in the morphology with filament formations and abnormal forms. Secondary effects were significant change in the distribution of ribosomes and abnormal cell division. No significant alterations in the peripheral cell wall were observed.

[In vitro study of the combination of pefloxacin with other antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus group D]. / Etude in vitro de l'association de la péfloxacine à d'autres antibiotiques sur Pseudomonas aeruginosa et les Streptocoques du groupe D.

The comparative susceptibility of 50 isolates of enterococci and 50 isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to pefloxacin and different antibiotics was tested using MIC determination. The results showed only 6% sensitive strains of enterococci and 36% of P. aeruginosa. The high level resistant streptococci against aminoglycosides and resistant Pseudomonas strains have weakly higher MIC than sensitive strains. The activity of the combination of pefloxacin and other antibiotics was determined by a checkerboard micromethod. Fractional concentration index (FIC and FBC) show most frequently addition, uncommonly synergy.

[Comparative effect of apalcillin and other beta-lactam antibiotics against the Bacteroides fragilis group]. / Activité comparée de l'apalcilline à celle d'autres bêtalactamines vis-à-vis de Bacteroides du groupe fragilis.

The in vitro activity of apalcillin was compared with those of mezlocillin, piperacillin, cefoxitin, cefotaxime and cefotetan against 50 strains of Bacteroides fragilis group. The minimal concentrations were determined by a microdilution method in Wilkins-Chalgren medium and subculturing on agar. On the basis of MICs and MBCs range, the activity of apalcillin was similar to that of other beta-lactam antibiotics; cefoxitin was slightly more active. The mode MICs were as follow: apalcillin = 16 micrograms/ml, mezlocillin = 8 micrograms/ml, piperacillin = 2 micrograms/ml, cefoxitin = 8 micrograms/ml, cefotaxime = 8 and 32 micrograms/ml, cefotetan = 4 micrograms/ml. All the strains of B. thetaiotaomicron and B. vulgatus were susceptible to the six beta lactam compounds. The MBCs and MICs were similar. Apalcillin had the greatest bactericidal activity.

[Comparative bactericidal kinetics of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin and pefloxacin alone and in combination against strains of group D Streptococcus]. / Cinétiques de bactéricidie comparées de la ciprofloxacine, de l'ofloxacine et de la péfloxacine seules et en association sur des souches de streptocoques du groupe D.

Killing curves method was used to study bactericidal activity of the three quinolones, alone and in combination with penicillin, amoxicillin, fosfomycin, netilmicin, vancomycin against six isolates of enterococci. Alone, ofloxacin showed the most initial bactericidal effect but ciprofloxacin was the most frequently bactericidal without any regrowth in 24 hours. The combinations with beta-lactams and netilmicin were sometimes synergistic in 24 hours; fosfomycin increased initial bactericidal effect.

[In vitro bactericidal effect of a piperacillin-pefloxacin combination against isolated strains of nosocomial pneumopathies in intensive care]. / Activité bactéricide in vitro de l'association pipéracilline-péfloxacine sur des souches isolées de pneumopathies nosocomiales en réanimation.

Combinations of piperacillin and pefloxacin are evaluated in vitro using checkerboard and killing-curves methods against 19 clinical isolates: S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, K. oxytoca, C. freundii, P. stuartii, Ps. aeruginosa, Ps. maltophilia and Ac. anitratum. The static checkerboard method showed more synergistic antibacterial effects than the killing curves method. The best synergistic effects appeared against S. aureus, K. oxytoca, P. stuartii, Ps. aeruginosa Ac. anitratum, including a notable increase of the rapidity of bactericidal activity. The combination PIP 64 micrograms - PEF 4 micrograms prevents the frequent secondary regrowth seen after 6 hours with the antibiotics used alone. No activity is obtained against S. aureus meti-R and Ps. maltophilia.

Atividade de 3 ureidopenicilinas sobre bacilos gram negativos isolados no Recife / Activity of 3 ureidopenicillins on gram negative bacillus isolated in Recife

O estudo comparativo da atividade da azlocilina, da mezlocilina e da piperacilina sobre 123 cepas de bactérias Gram-negativas isoladas nos hospitais do Recife foi efetuado mediante a determinaçäo das CIM e das CBM pela microtécnica de diluiçäo em caldo. Estas três ureidopenicilinas apresentaram uma boa atividade contra E. coli, Salmonella, Shigella, Proteus indol positivo e Klebsiella. Todas as cepas de Pseudomonas foram sensíveis à Azlocilina e à Piperacilina