Clinical study of oral phenoxymethyl penicillin and parenteral procaine penicillin G: comparative study of results in 1266 children.

Abstract

The recent introduction to clinical medicine of phenoxymethyl penicillin (penicillin V) has for the first time provided a penicillin which is virtually insoluble and therefore stable in the pH range of gastric juice. In the alkaline media of the intestines this preparation is soluble and therefore readily absorbed. Reports indicate that orally administered phenoxymethyl penicillin produces blood concentrations considerably higher than a comparable dose of penicillin G. Following oral administration of phenoxymethyl twice as much penicillin is excreted in the urine in an active form as following oral administration of penicillin G. The activity of phenoxymethyl penicillin is similar to that of penicillin G. However, penicillin blood levels attained with the orally administered phenoxymethyl penicillin preparation are lower and less uniform than blood levels from equal doses of crystalline penicillin G given parenterally. 3 The blood levels attained with orally administered phenoxymethyl penicillin are superior to levels obtained from comparable