Benzylpenicillin contaminants

Gas gangrene. The skin between the waist and the knees is normally contaminated with anaerobic faecal organisms. However assiduous the skin preparation for orthopaedic operations or thigh amputations, this will not kill or remove all the spores. Surgery done for vascular insufficiency where tissue oxygenation may be poor is likely to be followed by infection. Gas gangrene (Clostridium perfringens) may occur it may be prevented by benzylpenicillin or metronidazole prophylaxis. 

At harvest, the benzylpenicillin is in solution extra-cellularly, together with a range of other metabolites and medium constituents. The first step in downstream processing is to separate the cells from the liquid broth by techniques such as filtration, ultrafiltration or centrifugation. This stage is carried out under conditions that avoid contamination with P-lactamase-producing microorganisms which could lead to serious or total loss of product. 

The protein contaminants in benzylpenicillin derive from the fermentation manufacturing processes used in production of the antibiotic. During the course of fermentation, proteins of the medium become penicilloylated and may be extracted in minute amounts into the final preparations. The semisynthetic penicillins are prepared from 6-APA, which in turn is obtained through either enzymatic or chemical removal of the side chain in benzylpenicillin (Carrington 1971). Penicil-... 

Diirsch F (1968) Search for protein contaminants in benzylpenicillin. Lancet 1 1005-1007 Eisen HN (1959) Hypersensitivity to simple chemicals. In Lawrence HS (ed) Cellular and humoral aspects of the hypersensitivity states. Hoeber, New York, pp 89-122 Fazakerley GV, Jackson GE, Linder PW (1976) Equilibrium studies of benzylpenicillinate-thiaprolinate-hippurate- and benzylpenicilloate-proton and transition metal (II) ion systems. J Inorg Nucl Chem 38 1397-1400... 

Weston RD (1968) Penicilloylated protein contaminating 6-amino-penicillanic acid and benzylpenicillin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 25 553 Wheeler AW (1971) A method for measuring different classes of human immunoglobulins specific for the penicilloyl group. Immunology 21 547 White JM, Brown DL, Hepner GW (1968) Penicillin-induced haemolytic anemia. Br Med J 3 26... 

Benzylpenicillin thiomethyl ester (contaminated with some benzylpenicillin) 0.94 ... 

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