Treatment of Pulmonary Tuberculosis With Hydrazide Derivatives of Isonicotinic Acid

Schnitzer and his co-workers 1 have demonstrated that the hydrazide of isonicotinic acid (isoniazid) and several of its derivatives, including iproniazid and 1-iso-nicotinyl-2-glucosylhydrazine, have impressive antituberculous activity in mice and in vitro. These workers found members of the hydrazine series to be superior to previously utilized antimicrobial agents in the therapy of experimental tuberculosis of mice. Similar antituberculous activity of isoniazid was independently reported by Bernstein and associates 2 and recently by Domagk and his associates. 3 Clinical studies of the hydrazide derivatives of isonicotinic acid were initiated at Sea View Hospital on June 19,1951. These investigations were directed toward determination of toxicological and pharmacological properties of this new group of compounds in humans 4 ; large scale therapeutic studies were instituted Oct. 2, 1951. 5 Three compounds have been investigated by us to date. One, the glucosyl derivative, is no longer in use, since other compounds are clearly superior. MATERIAL