Pharmacokinetics and tissue penetration of ticarcillin combined with clavulanic acid

A combination of 3 g of ticarcillin and 200 mg of clavulanic acid was administered intravenously to six healthy male volunteers, after which the concentrations of these agents in serum and blister fluid were measured. The ratio of the two drugs in serum varied from 15:1 (ticarcillin-clavulanic acid) at the time of administration to 28:1 at 30 min and 62:1 at 5 h after injection. Both agents penetrated blister fluid rapidly, the ratio being 33:1 at 1 h and 66:1 at 3 h. The elimination rates of these agents were different, but for each compound they were similar in serum and blister fluid.