Penicilloyl-carbohydrate conjugates

An additional source of preformed antigenic penicilloyl-specific substances in penicillin preparations may be penicilloyl-carbohydrate conjugates. 

Several therapeutically used penicillin preparations contain carbohydrates. Thus, penicillins are commonly infused in glucose or fructose solutions, sucrose is a common ingredient of penicillin syrups and benzylpenicillin procaine suspensions may contain carboxymethylcellulose as an additive. Because of the antigenic and potentially allergenic effect of penicilloyl-carbohydrate conjugates, their presence in penicillin preparations must be avoided. Information about the kinetics of reaction of penicillins with carbohydrate and factors affecting the reaction rate have recently been reported. 

Schneider CH, de Week AL (1966b) Chemische Aspekte der Penicillin-AUergie die direkte Bildung der Penicilloyl-Determinanten aus Penicillin. Helv Chim Acta 49 1707 Schneider CH, de Week AL (1967) The reaction of benzylpenicilhn with carbohydrates at neutral pH with a note on the immunogenicity of hapten polysaccharide conjugates. Im-munochemistry 4 331... 

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