indication

Used to prevent infection during surgery and to treat many kinds of infections of the blood, bone or joints, respiratory tract, skin, and urinary tract.

pharmacology

Cefalotin (INN) or cephalothin (USAN) is a semisynthetic first generation cephalosporin having a broad spectrum of antibiotic activity that is administered parenterally.

mechanism of action

The bactericidal activity of cefalotin results from the inhibition of cell wall synthesis via affinity for penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). The PBPs are transpeptidases which are vital in peptidoglycan biosynthesis. Therefore, their inhibition prevents this vital cell wall compenent from being properly synthesized.

toxicity

Rat intravenous LD₅₀ is 4000 mg/kg.

biotransformation

Metabolized to a less active desacetyl metabolite, although 50-75% of the drug is eliminated unchanged in the urine.

half life

30 minutes