Skip to main content
Applied Microbiology logoLink to Applied Microbiology
. 1968 Oct;16(10):1507–1511. doi: 10.1128/am.16.10.1507-1511.1968

Synergistic Antibacterial Activity of Ampicillin-Cloxacillin Mixtures Against Proteus morganii

George H Bornside 1
PMCID: PMC547693  PMID: 5188339

Abstract

Synergistic antibacterial effects of mixtures of ampicillin and cloxacillin and induced penicillinases were investigated in 48 strains of Proteus. The serial tube dilution method was used to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration of ampicillin, cloxacillin, and 2:1 and 1:1 mixtures of ampicillin and cloxacillin. Production of penicillinases was determined by the cellulose acetate membrane method, with ampicillin, cloxacillin, mixtures of ampicillin and cloxacillin, penicillin G, and cephalothin as inducing agents and as substrates for penicillinase. Synergism occurred against P. morganii, but against no other species. The 1:1 ampicillin-cloxacillin combination was synergistic against 13 of 17 P. morganii strains; the 2:1 combination was synergistic against only 9 strains. Penicillinases, demonstrated in all species except P. mirabilis, hydrolyzed penicillin G and cephalothin. Although only P. vulgaris hydrolyzed ampicillin, no species of Proteus hydrolyzed cloxacillin or the ampicillin-cloxacillin mixtures. Penicillinases were, however, induced by ampicillin, cloxacillin, and the mixtures. There was no relationship between production of penicillinase and synergism with mixtures of ampicillin and cloxacillin.

Full text

PDF
1507

Selected References

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

  1. Acred P., Sutherland R. Antibacterial activities of combinations of ampicillin and cloxacillin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother (Bethesda) 1966;6:53–58. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. FALKOW S., RYMAN I. R., WASHINGTON O. Deoxyribonucleic acid base composition of Proteus and Providence organisms. J Bacteriol. 1962 Jun;83:1318–1321. doi: 10.1128/jb.83.6.1318-1321.1962. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. FLEMING P. C., GOLDNER M., GLASS D. G. Observations on the nature, distribution, and significance of cephalosporinase. Lancet. 1963 Jun 29;1(7296):1399–1401. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(63)92051-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Farrar W. E., Jr, O'Dell N. M., Krause J. M. Modification of antibiotic resistance in gram-negative bacteria by penicillinase inhibition. Antimicrob Agents Chemother (Bethesda) 1966;6:316–320. doi: 10.1128/AAC.6.3.316. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. HAMILTON-MILLER J. M. INDUCIBLE PENICILLINASE IN PROTEUS MORGANI. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 1963 Sep 10;13:43–48. doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(63)90159-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. HAMILTON-MILLER J. M., SMITH J. T., KNOX R. POTENTIATION OF PENICILLIN ACTION BY INHIBITION OF PENICILLINASE. Nature. 1964 Feb 29;201:867–868. doi: 10.1038/201867a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. KNOX R., SMITH J. T. Use of cellulose acetate membranes for detecting penicillinase-producing organisms. Nature. 1961 Aug 26;191:926–927. doi: 10.1038/191926a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. SABATH L. D., ABRAHAM E. P. SYNERGISTIC ACTION OF PENICILLINS AND CEPHALOSPORINS AGAINST PSEUDOMONAS PYOCYANEA. Nature. 1964 Dec 12;204:1066–1069. doi: 10.1038/2041066a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. SUTHERLAND R., BATCHELOR F. R. SYNERGISTIC ACTIVITY OF PENICILLINS AGAINST PENICILLINASE-PRODUCING GRAM-NEGATIVE BACILLI. Nature. 1964 Feb 29;201:868–869. doi: 10.1038/201868a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. SUTHERLAND R. THE NATURE OF THE INSENSITIVITY OF GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIA TOWARDS PENICILLINS. J Gen Microbiol. 1964 Jan;34:85–98. doi: 10.1099/00221287-34-1-85. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Sabath L. D., Elder H. A., McCall C. E., Finland M. Synergistic combinations of penicillins in the treatment of bacteriuria. N Engl J Med. 1967 Aug 3;277(5):232–238. doi: 10.1056/NEJM196708032770503. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Sabath L. D., Finland M. Resistance of penicillins and cephalosporins to beta-lactamases from Gram-negative bacilli: some correlations with antibacterial activity. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1967 Sep 27;145(2):237–247. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1967.tb50222.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Sabath L. D., McCall C. E., Steigbigel N. H., Finland M. Synergistic penicillin combinations for treatment of human urinary-tract infections. Antimicrob Agents Chemother (Bethesda) 1966;6:149–155. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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

RESOURCES