Investigation of human bile and serum levels by high pressure liquid chromatography after administration of latamoxef or cefotaxime.

The high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used for the quantitative determination of R- and S-epimers of latamoxef, cefotaxime and desacetylcefotaxime in serum and bile. Bile levels of latamoxef, 1 and 2 h following administration of the antibiotic, were markedly above serum values. Those of cefotaxime, however, were identical after 1 h, after 2 h bile levels were below serum values. Desacetylcefotaxime concentration in bile after 1 and 2 h was four to five times higher than in serum. The ratio R-:S-epimer of latamoxef in serum was 49:51 after 1 and 2 h, in bile 44:56 after 1 h and 48:52 after 2 h. In the case of latamoxef the comparison of the microbiological and the HPLC assay showed good correlation (r = 0.98). The ratio cefotaxime: desacetylcefotaxime in serum was 72.5:27.5 after 1 h and 61.5:38.5 after 2 h, in bile 41:59 after 1 h and 24:76 after 2 h.