An Appraisal of Cephalexin Monohydrate Levels in Semen and Prostatic Tissue

Studies were carried out on a series of patients with chronic bacterial prostatitis and on a series of patients who had undergone vasectomy or prostatectomy, to determine whether cephalexin monohydrate could be found at a bacteriocidal level in semen and prostatic tissue. 500-mg and 1-g tablets were given prior to collecting semen samples or prostatectomy. Semen levels were obtained in 38 samples. The mean values obtained were 1.7 μg/ml after 500 mg of cephalexin and 2.76 μg/ ml after 1 g. Prostatic tissue levels were obtained in 21 samples. The mean values obtained were 0.88 and 3.91 μg/g, respectively. These low semen and prostatic tissue levels fall short of the MIC values of the flora that can be isolated from cases of chronic bacterial prostatitis, and it would seem likely that this antibiotic will be of little value in the treatment of this condition.