Efficacy of bacampicillin and ampicillin in experimental pyelonephritis in the rat.

Bacampicillin and ampicillin were tested and compared with each other in a model of acute, obstructive pyelonephritis in the rat. The compounds were administered orally at five dose levels ranging from 50 mg/kg to 150 mg/kg. Bacampicillin was found to have a greater therapeutic activity than ampicillin, particulary at the higher doses, indicating that its improved absorption properties make it a therapeutically more effective compound than ampicillin.