Skip to main content
PMC home page
Applied Microbiology logoLink to Applied Microbiology
. 1972 Apr;23(4):775–779. doi: 10.1128/am.23.4.775-779.1972

Influence of Serum and Calcium on the Bactericidal Activity of Gentamicin and Carbenicillin on Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Starkey D Davis 1, Antoinette Iannetta 1
PMCID: PMC380434  PMID: 4622981

Abstract

Because calcium was found to be antagonistic in vitro to the activity of colistin and polymyxin B on Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the effects of calcium and serum on gentamicin and carbenicillin were also examined. Serum was antagonistic to gentamicin in antibiotic tube dilution tests on five strains of P. aeruginosa. Serum was not antagonistic to carbenicillin in tube dilution tests. Physiologic concentrations of calcium antagonized the activity of gentamicin but not carbenicillin. The antagonism observed with gentamicin was less than that previously seen with colistin. The antagonistic effect of calcium and serum was removed by a chelating agent. Gentamicin and carbenicillin may be more active in vivo against P. aeruginosa than colistin or polymyxin B.

Full text

PDF
777

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Acred P., Brown D. M., Knudsen E. T., Rolinson G. N., Sutherland R. New semi-synthetic penicillin active against Pseudomonas pyocyanea. Nature. 1967 Jul 1;215(5096):25–30. doi: 10.1038/215025a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Asbell M. A., Eagon R. G. Role of Multivalent Cations in the Organization, Structure, and Assembly of the Cell Wall of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Bacteriol. 1966 Aug;92(2):380–387. doi: 10.1128/jb.92.2.380-387.1966. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Brown M. R., Melling J. Loss of sensitivity to EDTA by Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown under conditions of Mg-limitation. J Gen Microbiol. 1968 Dec;54(3):439–444. doi: 10.1099/00221287-54-3-439. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Davis S. D., Iannetta A., Wedgwood R. J. Activity of colistin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa: inhibition by calcium. J Infect Dis. 1971 Dec;124(6):610–612. doi: 10.1093/infdis/124.6.610. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Davis S. D., Iannetta A., Wedgwood R. J. Paradoxical synergism and antagonism between serum and the antibacterial activity of colistin. J Infect Dis. 1971 Apr;123(4):392–398. doi: 10.1093/infdis/123.4.392. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. LOEWE S. The problem of synergism and antagonism of combined drugs. Arzneimittelforschung. 1953 Jun;3(6):285–290. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Mouton R. P., Holtrigter B. Carbenicillin and gentamycin in antibiotic combinations in vitro. Chemotherapy. 1969;14(6):371–383. doi: 10.1159/000220646. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. RUBENIS M., KOZIJ V. M., JACKSON G. G. LABORATORY STUDIES ON GENTAMICIN. Antimicrob Agents Chemother (Bethesda) 1963;161:153–156. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Reybrouck G., van de Voorde H. Effect of ethylenediamine tetraacetate on the germicidal action of disinfectants against "Pseudomonas aeruginosa". Acta Clin Belg. 1969;24(1):32–41. doi: 10.1080/17843286.1969.11716699. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Smith C. B., Finland M. Carbenicillin: activity in vitro and absorption and excretion in normal young men. Appl Microbiol. 1968 Nov;16(11):1753–1760. doi: 10.1128/am.16.11.1753-1760.1968. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Sonne M., Jawetz E. Combined action of carbenicillin and gentamicin on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vitro. Appl Microbiol. 1969 Jun;17(6):893–896. doi: 10.1128/am.17.6.893-896.1969. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Wilson L. A. Chelation in experimental Pseudomonas keratitis. Br J Ophthalmol. 1970 Sep;54(9):587–593. doi: 10.1136/bjo.54.9.587. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Applied Microbiology are provided here courtesy of American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

RESOURCES