Used to treat gonorrhoea, meningitis, and severe infections including infections of the kidney (pyelonephritis) and urinary system. Also used before an operation to prevent infection after surgery.
The bactericidal activity of cefotaxime results from the inhibition of cell wall synthesis via affinity for penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). Cefotaxime shows high affinity for penicillin-binding proteins in the cell wall including PBP Ib and PBP III.
Adverse effects following overdosage include nausea, vomiting, epigastric distress, diarrhea, and convulsions. Oral rat LD<sub>50</sub> is over 20,000 mg/kg while intravenous rat LD<sub>50</sub> is over 7,000 mg/kg.
Rapidly absorbed following intramuscular injection.
Approximately 1 hour.
Approximately 20-36% of an intravenously administered dose of 14C-cefotaxime is excreted by the kidney as unchanged cefotaxime and 15-25% as the desacetyl derivative, the major metabolite.