Chonnam Med J.  1999 Mar;35(1):61-68.

Oxidation of the Sulfhydryl Group by Cephalosporins

• Song DU
• Chay KO
• Jung YD
• Kim YJ
• Yang SY
• Lee MW
• Ahn BW

Abstract

To investigate the mechanism for the adverse reactions of cephalosporins, their ability to oxidize reduced glutathione(GSH) and other sulfhydryl compounds was examined. All the six kinds of cephalosporins used could oxidize GSH to GSSG. At the same molar concentration, the cephalosporins showed the following order of potencies in oxidizing GSH : moxalactam > cefsulodin > cephalothin > cephaloridine > cephapirin > cefotaxime. The oxidation of GSH by cephalosporins increased in a concentration-dependent manner. Moxalactam was shown to readily oxidize not only GSH but also dithiothreitol and cysteine. Moxalactam could also oxidize the sulfhydryl group of ovalbumin in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, but it could not oxidize the sulfhydryl group of human serum albumin and human blood plasma in the native condition. Human serum albumin and blood plasma could inhibit the GSH oxidation by moxalactam. The above results suggest that oxidation of the sulfhydryl group of GSH and some proteins may be involved in the adverse reactions of cephalosporins.

Keyword

cephalosporin; oxidation; sulfhydryl group

MeSH Terms

Cefotaxime
Cefsulodin
Cephaloridine
Cephalosporins*
Cephalothin
Cephapirin
Cysteine
Dithiothreitol
Glutathione Disulfide
Humans
Molar
Moxalactam
Ovalbumin
Plasma
Serum Albumin
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
Sulfhydryl Compounds
Cefotaxime
Cefsulodin
Cephaloridine
Cephalosporins
Cephalothin
Cephapirin
Cysteine
Dithiothreitol
Glutathione Disulfide
Moxalactam
Ovalbumin
Serum Albumin
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
Sulfhydryl Compounds