ATTACK OF CEFOTAXIME BY DIFFERENT RADICALS - COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS

Free radicals are physiological products and can react to administrate d drugs. Metabolic transformations by radical mechanisms are, therefor e, possible. A fundamental study of radio-induced degradation of aqueo us solutions of sodium cefotaxime, a third generation cephalosporin, w as realized to describe these possible radical mechanisms. Different r adicals produced by the radiolysis method ((OH)-O-., N-3(.), Br-2(.-), Tbut(.), e(aq)(-) + (OH)-O-., and e(aq)(-) + Tbut(.)) were successive ly used to induce the radical mechanisms and their effects were compar ed. All these radicals induce the formation of a same main radiolysis product identified as anticefotaxime. Radical mechanisms induced by N- 3(.), Tbut(.), and e(aq)(-) include chain reactions to explain the for mation of anticefotaxime contrary to those induced by (OH)-O-. and Br- 2(.-).