Absorption and Excretion of Terramycin in Animals

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Abstract
Discussion and Summary Studies on the absorption and excretion of terramycin in man will be reported by Werner and his associates(3) at an early date. The results obtained by these investigators agree, in general, with those reported herein. Terramycin and its salts are absorbed readily following either oral or parenteral administration. Terramycin in the amphoteric form is a highly insoluble compound. It is absorbed following oral or parenteral administration at an exceedingly slow rate. A comparative study of the chemotherapeutic action of terramycin and its salts in experimental infections in mice(l) have suggested that the slow absorption of this form of terramycin may be a valuable asset in the treatment of certain infections, provided a dosage form can be prepared which will permit its parenteral administration to humans. Studies are in progress, furthermore, to determine the extent to which this highly insoluble form of terramycin is excreted in the feces. Most satisfactory results have been obtained to date on oral administration of terramycin hydrochloride, a highly soluble salt. The high concentrations of terramycin which may be detected in the serum of animals following oral administration suggests a parallelism between terramycin and aureomycin and chloramphenicol. In contrast to aureomycin and chloramphenicol, however, a high percentage of the terramycin administered is excreted in a biologically active form. Terramycin hydrochloride in aqueous solution has a pH of 1.5; its administration, parenterally in aqueous solution, is not feasible. Preliminary observations suggest, however, that the intravenous administration of this form of terramycin in an appropriate buffer should be possible. The rate and degree of absorption of terramycin and its salts suggest that terramycin, a highly active antimicrobial agent, should be readily effective in the treatment of infections due to terramycin-sensitive microorganisms.

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