Penicillin permanence in cerebrospinal fluid and its passage into the blood after the administration by lumbar or sub-occipital route

Abstract

The time of permanence of penicillin in the liquor after the administration of 30.000 i.u. of crystalline penicillin G in seven neuroluetical patients, by lumbar or suboccipital routes was observed. The penicillin passage from the liquor to the blood (absorption) is made rapidly (15 minutes) after the administration, by suboccipital or lumbar routes.

1 - 30.000 i.u. of crystalline penicillin G injected either in the subarachnoid, lumbar or suboccipital spaces, keep therapeuticallevels, at least for 24 hours. 2 - The penicillin diffusion is more rapidly made from the suboccipital region to the lumbar one, than on the other way; the patients must be put to bed. 3 - The penicillin passage from the subarachnoid space to the blood (absorption) is made in 15 minutes, which is the shortest tested time. 4 - The penicillin absorption (passage from the subarachnoid space to the blood) takes place rapidly either injected by suboccipital or lumbar routes. 5 - The penicillin appearing in the blood, after the intrathecal administration, seems to depend chiefly on its natural absorption, and not on the eventual passage of the liquor with penicillin through the punction orifice. 6 - The penicillin blood levels, after the administration by intrathecal route, were higher and more lasting when there was the possibility of a decrease of renal permeability.