The New Penicillins

Abstract

Penicillinase-Resistant PenicillinsThe introduction of methicillin in September, I960,^{77 , 78} provided a drug with a unique property not found in earlier penicillins — namely, resistance to hydrolysis by penicillinase. Within the following two years several other penicillinase-resistant penicillins became available, which, in addition, proved to be more active in vitro and also well absorbed orally, which methicillin is not. The new compounds, however, also exhibited greater serum binding than methicillin. Whether or not these differences will be translated into superior clinical results still remains to be proved by sufficiently large and adequately controlled clinical experience.MethicillinThe antibacterial activity of methicillin . . .