PEDIATRICS Vol. 64 No. 5 November 1979, pp. 627-631
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Comparative Pharmacokinetics of Amoxicillin and Ampicillin in Infants and Children

Charles M. Ginsburg MD1, George H. McCracken Jr MD1, Marion L. Thomas BA1, and Joan Clahsen RN1

1 Department of Pediatrics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas, Southwestern Medical School, Dallas

The pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin and ampicillin were studied in 24 infants and children. Mean peak serum concentrations of 5.4 µg/ml in fasting and 3.2 µg/ml in nonfasting patients were observed after 15 mg/kg amoxicillin doses. Area under the curve values and serum half-life values were similar in fasting and nonfasting patients. The pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin (15 mg/kg) were compared to those of ampicillin (25 mg/kg). Peak serum concentrations, area under the curve values and half-life times were comparable for the two drugs. Amoxicillin (25 mg/kg) and ampicillin (25 mg/kg) were compared in cross-over fashion in 11 children. Serum concentrations of amoxicillin were consistently larger than those of ampicillin; the differences were of borderline significance at one and two hours and statistically significant at four and six hours after the dosage. The bioavailability of amoxicillin was twice that of ampicillin. Amoxicillin was detected in approximately half of the saliva samples studied. Although the salivary concentrations in many children exceeded the inhibitory level for most pneumococci and group A streptococci and for many non-beta lactamase-producing Haemophilus influenzae type b strains, the clinical relevance of these observations is unknown.

Submitted on October 30, 1978
Accepted on February 20, 1979




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