Bioavailability and Pain Study of Cefamandole Nafate

Abstract

The bioavailability of parental cefamandole nafate, a new cephalosporin antibiotic, was evaluated with respect to the effects of a lidocaine diluent on its tolerability and absorption after i.m. administration. Adult male volunteers (12) were injected with 1 g of cefamandole nafate in a 3-way randomized, crossover study using the i.v. or the i.m. route with cefamandole nafate in saline or in lidocaine. The i.m. injections were double-blinded. Mean serum concentrations and cumulative urine outputs of cefamandole nafate were not significantly different (P > 0.05) following i.m. administration, using either the saline or lidocaine diluents. There was no significant difference in the areas under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC). The degree of pain experienced by subjects receiving i.m. cefamandole nafate was evaluated during 1 h after injection using a numerical scoring system. Lidocaine diluent significantly reduced the incidence and duration of pain after cefamandole nafate injection, and this form of administration was well-accepted by the subjects in the study.