Clinical Evaluation of Nafcillin in Patients with Severe Staphylococcal Disease

Abstract

NAFCILLIN, 6-(2-ethoxy-1-naphthamido) penicillin,¹ is one of the semisynthetic, penicillinase-resistant penicillins that has been introduced since the isolation of 6-aminopenicillanic acid.² Each of the newer penicillins in this series — namely, oxacillin, diphenicillin and nafcillin — has several readily apparent advantages over methicillin,³ the first one to become available for clinical use. Most important of these advantages are acid stability, permitting absorption of the drug when it is administered orally, and greater in vitro activity against both penicillinase-producing and nonpenicillinase-producing staphylococci. In addition, some data suggest that nafcillin may have greater therapeutic activity than methicillin or oxacillin in experimental infections in . . .